How did I not see it before?
by Cats070911
Summary: When Tommy's friends die mysteriously, he inherits a legacy that will change his life. Just when he thinks he had made peace with everything, Stuart's discovery threatens them all.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note:** all usual disclaimers apply. Life is a tad hectic at the moment as I have had my elderly mother in the hospital and no time to scratch myself. This story, however, is the product of my insomnia... It lends itself to more, but it might take a while as we have a family wedding next week, uni exams to follow... sigh.

* * *

Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers grabbed a beer from the fridge. Six days off was very welcome after three weeks of fourteen-hour days. They had their murderer safely behind bars, and deserved their break. She turned on the television and found the trashiest show she could, an American soapy that amused her because of its completely ludicrous storylines.

She had taken only two sips of her beer when her mobile buzzed. "Bloody hell."

She glanced at the number. It was her boss. She groaned. What the hell did he want so soon after dropping her home? "Havers," she answered in her usual manner.

"It's Tommy." He paused.

"I know."

"Barbara, I... need a favour."

She sighed. Of course he did. "Mmm?"

"It's complicated to explain, but would you be able to stay here for a couple of days and help me with a... situation?"

"What situation?"

"I have to mind a four-year-old girl, and... I am not equipped for the job."

Barbara frowned but smiled at his statement. "She's probably weaned, you won't have to breastfeed."

"What? Of course she's weaned. I... her parents just died in a horrific accident and... they have listed me as her guardian."

Barbara sat up. Tommy Lynley, 8th Earl of Asherton sounded genuinely frightened. "Oh, I'm sorry. Yes, of course. Why you?"

"It's complicated. I can explain when I pick you up. We have to drive to Cambridgeshire to collect her and formally identify the bodies. Could I pick you up in about half an hour?"

"Yes, of course you can, Sir."

"Great. Thank you for this, Barbara. I am sorry to ruin whatever plans you had for this week. I don't know how I will ever be able to repay you."

He rang off before she had a chance to respond.

* * *

When Tommy knocked on her door, he looked exhausted. "Are you okay to drive?" she asked.

"Yes, I think so. Aidan's death was a shock."

"Sir, if she's only four, she'll need a children's car seat. Do you have fixing points in that?"

He looked back at his car and sighed. "See I know nothing about any of the parenting nonsense."

"Let's take my car. I have the fixing points courtesy of the previous owner. We can get a seat from somewhere."

He nodded. "You drive then."

Barbara had not realised she had offered an alternative. "Sure."

After ten minutes of discussing the traffic, Tommy finally began to talk about the situation. "Thank you again for this."

"It's okay, Sir. What happened?"

"Aidan and Inga, she is... or was... his wife. They went riding on his super bike. He always liked fast bikes, even when we were young. When they didn't return for lunch, the hotel sent out a search party. They found they had skidded on an oil patch and... plunged into one of the fens. They believe they drowned."

"Oh, how awful. But what's someone your age doing in a super bike?"

"We're not exactly ancient, Barbara."

"I'm sorry. How do you know the family?"

"Aidan was a friend of mine from Eton. Aidan Hibernicus..."

"Hibernicus? Wasn't that a horse?"

"No... well yes, probably... but it is the Latin word for an Irishman. Aidan adopted the name because he did not know his family's name."

"Why an Irishman?"

"He had red hair and his only possessions on him when he was abandoned in a church were a silver St Kevin's cross and a St Christopher medal on a chain."

"Right... so how does an orphan like that go to Eton?"

"He won a King's scholarship."

"We don't have a king."

"They were established by Henry the Eighth. Anyway, that's irrelevant..."

"Hang on, is he that shoe guy?"

"Yes, Aidan and his wife ran Hibernicus Footwear. He married Inga, the designer of that shoe whatever it's called."

"The Irish Rockhopper. They are great for wet environments apparently, stick to anything. Kids love them for adventure sports. He must be... have been, loaded."

"He was. Far richer than me."

"So why are you this girl's her guardian? By the way, what's her name?"

"Henrietta."

"Henrietta Hibernicus? Wow, poor kid."

"She was named after the king that changed his life."

"Is her middle name Octavia?"

Tommy stared at her. "I hope not."

Barbara grinned at him. "Well, you don't know with your lot. Strange senses of humour. So why you?"

"His wallet contained a card giving guardianship of their daughter to me. The Cambridge police confirmed it with his solicitor, who is also driving up. I received their call just as I got home. With Mother in Cornwall and Judith in York, I... thought you would be better placed to help me."

She smiled at him. "Sure, no problem."

"You're wonderful with children. I... I have no idea what to do or say."

"Just be yourself. Does she know you at all?"

Tommy nodded. "I see them every couple of months. She's a very bright girl, but... she was daddy's girl. I have no idea how I will tell her about her parents."

Barbara frowned. "Hasn't she been told?"

Tommy shook his head. "No, they asked me to do it because Henrietta knows me."

"Oh, Sir, that's rough."

He shrugged. "Not as hard as it will be for her."

"Would you like me to be with you?"

He looked across at her. "Yes, if you would," he said quietly.

"Of course." They sat in silence with their thoughts for several minutes before Barbara spoke. "Where are Inga's family?"

"Her mother died when she was young, and her father was killed in a skiing accident in Denmark a few years ago. She was an only child, so there is no other family that I know of."

Barbara nodded. "How do you feel about being Henrietta's guardian?"

Tommy stared out of the window. "I don't know. At the moment I feel numb and somewhat terrified. Then I feel guilty for being so selfish. I have to think about what is in her long-term interests. I... don't think that is having me look after her."

"Don't make any rash decisions, Sir."

Tommy ran his hand slowly through his hair. "I won't, I promise."

* * *

The hotel was on a narrow road a few miles out of Ely. In the gathering dark, Barbara had trouble seeing the road so she drove very slowly. On one side there was water, but on the other, it looked like boggy marshland. "I don't know how people live here."

Tommy looked across and frowned. "Why not?"

"Too wet. And it smells like compost."

"I'm sure the hotel will want to use that as their new advertising slogan."

Barbara glanced across at him. "I thought I was supposed to be the sarcastic one?"

He shrugged. "What on earth do I say?"

"Huh?"

"To Henrietta. How do you tell a child you barely know that her parents are never coming back and that they decided I should take care of her?"

Barbara shook her head. "I don't know, Sir, but I do know that at the time the right words will come."

He raised his eyebrows. "Thank you for the vote of confidence, but I fear your faith in me is misplaced."

"No. It's not. You're the most compassionate man I know. The words will come." Ahead was a brightly lit driveway. "I think that must be it."

Beside her, Tommy sighed heavily.

The hotel was modern and featured a lot of glass and polished concrete. Barbara had expected something old and creaky. Above the spacious foyer, a void rose the full three-storey height of the building. It was glass on three sides and Barbara wondered if that would make it too hot.

Tommy was shifting his weight from foot to foot. Normally her boss was calm in these circumstances. She reached over and put her hand on his arm and smiled. For a few seconds they looked at each other, then Tommy returned the smile. He nodded slightly then took a little breath. His face transformed into what Barbara called his 'Eton look', neutral and unreadable. Barbara removed her hand and noticed a millisecond of disappointment in his eyes.

"Ah, Lord Asherton?"

They turned. A debonair man in his late forties walked towards them with casual grace. With his salt and pepper hair immaculately groomed, a well cut but slightly trendy grey suit, and eyes that seemed to sparkle despite his serious face, Barbara almost expected him to introduce himself as Cary Grant.

Tommy extended his hand. "Yes, and this is my colleague... friend, Barbara Havers."

"James Heatherington, Aidan and Inga's solicitor." The man accepted Tommy's hand.

Barbara felt her face blush as two handsome men, cut from the same toff cloth, smiled at her. "Pleased to meet you," she squeaked as she reached out to accept James' handshake. She noticed a confused and slightly jealous look flash across Tommy's face. She looked at him reassuring him she was just caught off balance by James and did not fancy him. It was a slight lie, but her boss was feeling insecure enough. For reasons she would never understand, he was very protective of her with other men.

"Come this way. I've only arrived myself a few minutes ago. Henrietta is upstairs. She's been asking for her parents I believe. I don't think anyone has said anything, but she must suspect something is wrong.

"Yes. I have no idea how to tell her."

James shook his head. "I'm concerned she will not understand. I suggest you both stay here tonight. I have booked you a suite. I was hoping you would look after Henrietta. She shouldn't be left alone."

Tommy nodded. "Barbara is excellent with children. I am hoping... to utilise her skills. "

James nodded at Barbara. "That sounds suitable. Child welfare officers are also upstairs. They will need to interview you both and observe you with Henrietta as you are a single male and are not a relative."

Barbara saw the anger flash across Tommy's face, but they both knew paedophiles lurched everywhere, even in the best circles. Tommy nodded. "I understand."

* * *

When they entered the room, Henrietta was sitting on the bed looking at her two minders from under a lock of dark hair that tumbled over her left eye. She swept it back as she looked up. Brown eyes latched onto Tommy and she jumped down and ran to him, wrapping her arms around his legs. "Unc Tommy!"

Barbara froze. She swallowed her anger to focus on the girl. It was not her fault that any of this had happened. Tommy knelt and hugged Henrietta. As angry as she was about him not telling her the truth, she was touched by the sight of them together. She surreptitiously wiped away a tear.

Tommy turned to her. "Henrietta, this is my friend, Barbara."

The girl smiled at her and stuck out her hand. "Hello, Babra."

Barbara shook her hand. "Hello, Henrietta."

The girl turned back to Tommy. Crouched on his knee, he was only marginally taller than her. "Mummy and Daddy aren't here," she told him. Barbara could hear how scared she seemed.

"No, I know."

The girl stared at him. "Why are you crying Unc Tommy?"

Tommy lifted her onto the bed then took her hands. "I'm sorry, Henrietta, but Mummy and Daddy had to go to Heaven today."

Henrietta frowned. "Oh? When will they be back?"

"Not for a very long time. They wanted me to look after you."

"And Mitty?"

"I'd forgotten about Mitty. Yes, and Mitty." Tommy turned to Barbara. "That's Henrietta's cat."

"Is Heaven far away?"

Tommy nodded then picked her up and carried her to the window. "See those stars up there? Heaven is just beyond them. From there, Mummy and Daddy can look down on you and make sure I am looking after you."

The room was silent as the girl stared up at the stars. "Why did they leave me?"

Barbara's heart broke for both of them. Tommy had tears in his eyes. She wondered how he would answer.

"They didn't want to leave you. They didn't have a choice."

Henrietta ran her hand through her hair. "Are they dead?"

The whole room seemed to breathe in. Several seconds of silence went by. Tommy finally nodded. "Yes, Henrietta. They fell off Daddy's bike."

The girl looked down. "Are they with Billy?"

"Who's Billy?"

Henrietta looked at him as if he was an idiot. Barbara knew that expression only too well. "Our hamster."

"Yes. Billy would have been waiting for them."

"Are they in the ground? Daddy put Billy in the hole in our backyard."

Tommy looked desperately at Barbara. She shrugged. "Not yet. Did Daddy say a few words when he buried Billy?" Henrietta nodded. "We will do the same for Mummy and Daddy."

"In our backyard?"

"No. We can talk more about that tomorrow. Right now you need to sleep."

Henrietta looked around. "Can I have ice cream?"

Barbara smiled at Tommy's reaction. "No," he said gently, "it's too late tonight but what about some chocolate?"

"Okay."

Tommy went to the minibar and found a chocolate bar. "Only two pieces," he said breaking it off. "Now we have to go and talk to some people. Why don't you climb into bed and try to sleep?"

Henrietta nodded. "Will you tell me a story?"

Tommy looked at Barbara. She nodded. This might be interesting. He screwed his face up then carried the girl to her bed and tucked her in. "Once upon a time there was a... a little brown dog who liked to surf..."


	2. Chapter 2

By the time Tommy had finished his fairytale, Henrietta was asleep. The child welfare officers ushered them to the back off the room and began to grill them on their relationship, experience with children and knowledge of child welfare issues. Barbara could tell Tommy's patience was being tested to the absolute limit, but outwardly he smiled and stayed calm.

"And you have been partners for nearly ten years?" the woman in jeans and an oversized jumper asked.

Tommy smiled. "Work partners, yes, but also friends." He glanced at Barbara but she did not reassure him. He had lied to her and she was not yet ready to forgive him.

The women stared at her. Barbara felt compelled to say something. "I... Yes, we have been friends. I know his family. We were both there when Tommy's wife was killed, and he was there when I shot. We have seen each other at our best and worst. We understand each other far better than many lovers. He will take care of Henrietta, and I am happy to assist."

Tommy smiled gratefully at her, and she could see his appreciation at finally using his name.

"My concern, Ms Havers is not that either of you will intentionally hurt the child, but what happens if she forms an attachment to you as a mother-figure? How will she cope with you living outside Thomas' home?"

"Because I will only be there for a few days until she is settled. She will soon adapt to our lifestyles and think of it as normal."

"But what if she or Thomas need you beyond a few days?"

"If you are looking for grounds to deny him because he lives alone, then I suggest you are not thinking about the child's welfare. Her parents trusted Tommy. He has support from me and his family. Surely being with someone she knows is better than strangers? And naturally, I would not leave if I thought she needed me there."

"Thank you," the taller lady said. "We'll recommend a review in two weeks."

Tommy nodded. "That will be fine. Thank you. Now if you'll excuse us, James Heatherington needs to see us."

* * *

They did not speak until after they left the room. Tommy looked across and gave her a sly smile. "You will have to keep calling me Tommy now so that you don't forget when they come back."

Barbara snorted but said nothing. They followed the hall back to the stairs, and down to the foyer. James was waiting in a meeting room near the Reception desk. Barbara needed air. "You start." She pushed the heavy glass door open and stepped into the cool night air.

Tommy followed. "Barbara? What's wrong?"

"Don't treat me like a fool."

"What? How?"

Barbara spun around. "Why didn't you tell me Henrietta was your child?"

"What? No. She's not. Well, I don't think she is... There's a small chance, but, no, I don't think so."

"Really? A small chance? You slept with your friend's wife, obviously without protection, and you don't even consider Henrietta might be yours?"

"No! It wasn't like that. I never slept with Inga."

"Oh, I didn't realise you were into immaculate conceptions. Talk about a God complex."

Tommy ran his fingers slowly through his hair. "Don't, Barbara, please. Let me explain."

"Okay, but I'm not sure how you can top immaculate conception as an excuse."

"I was going to tell you on the way here, but... I didn't mention it because I thought there was unlikely it was me. I donated sperm. Aidan was... unable to father children, but they wanted one so badly. They devised a scheme where ten of us provided samples. I don't know the technicalities but basically, the sperm was combined or selected so that it was completely random."

"But she has your eyes, that hair, and her mannerisms... you never thought?"

"Many of our friends have this hair. It's the Eton flop. That doesn't indicate paternity."

"You still should have told me. It... was a shock."

"I'm sorry. You're right, but in all the times I've seen Henrietta, I never thought I was her father."

"Not even a ten percent chance?"

"No, I assumed someone else's sperm would have been more... successful. I should have said, but I was... embarrassed."

"Why? In case I might think about you in a room with a paper cup and dirty magazines beating your..."

"Barbara! No. It's because I... it was before I was with Helen. I didn't think it through, and... I have no excuse. I should have said something."

Barbara shook her head. She had no right to know about his private arrangements. "No, I'm sorry. It's none of my business. It was just a shock. I... I don't know, it's just this situation. But you handled Henrietta well. There's a natural bond there, Sir. I... it must have been a terrible shock for you, losing your friend's like that. I shouldn't have said anything, but I think she is your child."

Tommy put his arm around her and pulled her into his shoulder. "I... maybe. I never wanted to hurt you. I should have told you before you saw her. I know I would be hurt too if I learned you had a child hidden somewhere. I understand."

Barbara frowned. "You would? Well, I don't. Have a child hidden somewhere I mean."

"I know."

"What a pair we are."

"We're a good pair," he said as he squeezed her arm. "Now, let's get the next bit over and done with."

* * *

James was waiting. "I have a car to drive to Ely. They need the bodies identified so they can release Henrietta to your care."

Tommy nodded. "Fine."

"Should I wait with Henrietta?" Barbara asked.

"No!"

"Okay..."

Tommy inhaled slowly. "I would rather you came with me."

Barbara frowned but nodded. "Sure." There was something about his reaction that worried her. He was normally unfazed by cadavers, even if they were his friends.

Everyone sat with their own thoughts until they reached the morgue. Tommy helped Barbara out of the car. He was behaving strangely. Her eyes asked him what was wrong. He leant close to her ear on the pretext of closing the door. "Look for anything unusual. Anything that looks out of place, or covered up. I'm not convinced by the sliding in oil and drowning story."

Barbara squeezed his arm. He nodded, and as they walked through the door, they were Sergeant Havers and DI Lynley. As Tommy identified the bodies, she hung around looking at the forms and the couple's clothes neatly folded. There were no scuff marks or oil on their leathers, which were dry. This was odd if they skidded in oil at high speed into the water. Tommy was right to be suspicious.

"That is Aidan Hibernicus and Inga Hibernicus," Tommy told the pathologist. "When will be bodies be released?"

"I believe as they are Jewish, they will be released for burial tomorrow morning."

"Jewish? Who told you they were Jewish?"

The man frantically checked his paperwork. "Um, Detective Sergeant Griffith, Ely."

"Well, he was misinformed. I will be sending a pathologist of my own here tomorrow to collect the bodies."

"That's most irregular."

Tommy glared at him. "Havers, would you ring Stuart and see how quickly he can get here please."

"Sure." Barbara walked away to dial Lafferty. In the background, the men were exchanging angry words.

* * *

Barbara could tell from Tommy's face that he trusted no one except her. She would follow his lead. After informing the morgue officially that Stuart would be collecting the bodies at 7 a.m., they drove back with James to the hotel. He ushered them into his makeshift office. "You suspect foul play?"

Tommy shrugged. "I was more concerned that they were to be buried under the wrong rituals."

"Hmm." James did not believe him any more than she did. "For what it is worth, I don't think the accident scenario sounds right."

Tommy shrugged again. "It won't hurt to have a second opinon."

James put several sealed envelopes in front of him. "Aidan liked to be prepared. He and Inga also made a short video for you to watch. Everything is sealed. I have no more idea than you what they will say."

Tommy frowned then nodded. "I understand."

James broke open the sealed plastic case containing a thumb drive. He inserted it into his computer and turned the screen of his laptop so they could all see. Barbara was surprised to see a stylish blonde woman sitting beside a redhead with the Eton flop. She felt even worse for her outburst.

"Tommy, if you're watching this, then you know it's over for Inga and me, by fair means or foul. Nought's had, all's spent, Where our desire is got without content; 'Tis safer to be that which we destroy Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy. I have enjoyed our years of friendship. Inga likes you too, that's why we want you to care for Henrietta. We trust you, and you alone, with our most precious asset. In a way that makes this easier and harder to say. We lied to you, Tommy. We didn't randomise the sperm samples. We wanted you to be my substitute from the start, but I knew you would never agree. The doctors only used your sample to impregnate Inga. You are Henrietta's biological father." James went to pause the video.

"No. Play it," Tommy snapped.

"We have left documents with James. He had no idea either so don't blame him. He will know who to send them to so that you don't have any legal issues regarding custody. You are named as the father on her original birth certificate too. We had another certificate created when I adopted her. We have left money in trust for Henrietta that you can draw on for her education. All the details are in the letters. We have also left letters and some videos for Henrietta. When she's old enough, tell her the truth, including that we loved her. She was our precious gift. I know this will be a shock. You never seemed to suspect you were her father. I'm sorry we never said, but the further away it got, the harder it became. We hope you find peace and happiness, Tommy. And I hope one day you find love again. Perhaps you need to look closer to home and that sergeant who drives you crazy but you can't stop talking about. Take care."

The screen went blank. Barbara realised she was staring at Tommy. He was staring at the screen.

"Well, I was not expecting that," James said.

"Nor was I," Tommy said with almost no expression. It reminded Barbara of the time she found him in the park after Helen's funeral. He looked lost and afraid. This time she reached out and put her hand on his arm. She rarely touched him, but she knew his touch comforted her. His hand instantly covered hers. He turned and gave her a weak smile. "I have a daughter."

Barbara nodded. "Yeah." She had no idea what else to say that would not sound trite.

"And you saw it straight away. How did I not see it?" Tommy turned to her. "Will you still help me? I... I need your input here."

"Of course."

"I don't know the first thing about parenting."

"We'll manage for a few days. Then you have Judith and your mother to help."

Tommy frowned. "I don't want them taking over. I... want you to help me. Please, Barbara."

His hair hung over his eye. Barbara was tempted to push it gently back into place. She did not trust her voice, so she put her other hand over his, and stroked it softly. When he looked up, they held each other's gaze.

* * *

James explained the situation to the child welfare officers. Reluctantly, they left knowing they had no jurisdiction over a biological father unless a complaint was made.

James turned to them. "Good night. We will talk in the morning."

"Yes. Good night, and thank you for driving up."

Tommy looked at Barbara. "I might get some air before we go up."

Barbara understood. "Sounds like a good idea. I might join you."

Once they were outside, Tommy turned to her. "I think they were murdered."

She nodded. "There were no scuffs or oil on their leathers, and they were dry."

"Let's see what Lafferty finds then."

"What was with that quote in the video?"

"Nought's had, all's spent, Where our desire is got without content; 'Tis safer to be that which we destroy Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy?"

"Yeah. Shakespeare?"

"Yes. Lady Macbeth says it when she is contemplating what they have done in killing the king. Basically, if you get what you want and you're still not happy, you've spent everything and gained nothing. In their case meaning it would be better to have been murdered than to be the killer and forever be tormented by your guilt."

"So, are you thinking they did something bad to get where they were and couldn't live with it?"

"I don't know. I hope not, but we need to keep Henrietta close to us until we know what is happening."

Barbara murmured her agreement. "I'm worried that in the morning she will wake and remember everything and become distressed. I don't think it sunk in."

"No, I agree. Let's fetch her and go up to bed. I'm exhausted."

Barbara smiled at him. "I know. I worry about you too."

"I'll be okay, but thank you for staying. I would have understood if you left."

* * *

Tommy carried his sleeping daughter into the suite James had booked for them. He had made it very clear that he could not stay in the same bed Inga and Aidan had used. Barbara glanced around. James had obviously assumed that Tommy's partner was sharing his bed. "Is there a fold-out sofa?"

Tommy put Henrietta on the bed then tried the sofa. "No, but I can sleep on it without it unfolding."

"It will ruin your back."

"Or yours. Let's just share the bed, Barbara. We can put Henrietta between us. You must be tired. I feel exhausted."

"Sure." Barbara was tired. Far too tired to be scared of sharing his bed. "I'll use the bathroom first, shall I?"

Tommy nodded. "I'll unpack my pyjamas."

When Barbara returned, Tommy headed to the bathroom. "Pick whichever side you prefer."


	3. Chapter 3

Barbara stared at the bed. She had never had to choose a side before. The left side would mean when she slept on her usual right hip she would be facing away from him. She took the other side telling herself she was worried about him. It was true, she was worried, but if they were sharing a bed, she wanted to watch him sleep. And they had to ensure Henrietta was okay, she told herself knowing it was an excuse.

Barbara lifted back the covers and rolled the sleeping child under them. She then climbed in and waited. Henrietta sensed her and wriggled closer to snuggle against her chest. Barbara tried not to let her emotions get the better of her as she put a comforting arm around the girl. This was Tommy's child. That meant she was instantly enamoured of her and yet resentful that he had a child to another woman. It would have been different if he had had a relationship with Inga, but somehow Barbara felt violated on Tommy's behalf. It made no sense. It was not as if she and Tommy would ever have children, but she would never trick him into it. She could not understand how Tommy could forgive his friends so easily.

* * *

When he returned, Tommy stood at the foot of the bed and looked at them. Barbara frowned but Tommy just smiled. It was a goofy, sentimental smile. Barbara thought at first it was just about Henrietta, but he was looking straight at her. She smiled back and his face broke into a wide grin.

"Are you going to stand there all night, or turn off the light and get in? Some of us need our beauty sleep."

"You don't." Tommy turned off the light and climbed in facing her. Light from the near-full moon fell across the bed. She was in shadow, but his face was lit like sunshine on marble.

"Thanks very much."

He grinned at her. Lying there with his face only inches from hers, he looked younger, much as he had when they first met. For a moment she was back in Yorkshire fancying the hell out of a man she wanted to hate. Now she loved him, more than life itself, but she tried to keep her thoughts on a higher plane and ignore his physical charms.

"You don't need it because you are already a beautiful person."

"Oh." Barbara was unsure how to respond. She knew her face had gone red, so was thankful for her position in the semi-darkness.

"Thank you."

Barbara jumped when his lips brushed her cheek. "For what?"

"Everything." This time, his lips briefly touched hers. It felt as if the bed had spun, and tilted her world upside down.

"I don't mind. That was a terrible thing to do to you. Not saying. They should have said. Given you a choice." She was rambling. Tommy's head was still on her pillow. His minty breath tickled her nose.

"Yes, perhaps, but I probably would have said yes anyway. I wanted to help them."

"You're a good man, Sir."

"Tommy. Can't we finally drop the pretence that I am only your boss, and not your... friend?"

Tommy's finger pushed some hair behind her ear. His night vision must be better than hers. Maybe her red face was visible. She made a conscious effort not to groan with pleasure. Barbara took a breathe. "Tommy."

His lips returned to hers with the same gentle brush. Barbara pushed back, but not too hard in case she seemed desperate.

"Daddy?" Henrietta wedged herself up between them.

"No," Tommy replied gently. "It's Unc Tommy, and Barbara."

"Oh." The little girl elbowed her way up the bed. "Were you kissing Babra?"

Tommy moved his head back to his pillow. "I just kissed her goodnight."

"Okay." Henrietta snuggled in closer to him. "Daddy sends me back to bed when he kisses Mummy."

"You don't have to go tonight. You can stay here with us. Now go back to sleep."

* * *

Barbara lay awake still feeling his lips on hers. It had clearly not been romantic for him. Tommy had meant it more as a gesture of friendship, but it was hard not to react. She rolled a little further on her side and adjusted her hand on Henrietta's leg so the girl knew she was not alone. Tommy was lying peacefully and looked as if he was already asleep. Barbara took a deep breath and closed her eyes. They shot open a second later when his hand touched hers. She went to pull it away, but he took it and held it, stroking the back of it with his thumb. She was not destined to sleep.

* * *

When she woke, Tommy and Henrietta we're gone. His pyjamas were folded neatly and the dressing gown they had brought from Henrietta's room was missing. Barbara quickly used the bathroom then dressed. Her watch said it was only six o'clock. She grabbed her room key and went down to the room Henrietta and her parents had used. No one was there. Puzzled she went downstairs. Through the glass doors she could see them. Tommy was sitting on a concrete seat that looked more like a piece of modern art in the shape of a melted giant hand. On his lap, Henrietta was cuddled into him. She appeared to be talking non-stop. Tommy was listening and nodding. Even from here, it was obvious they were father and child. She felt she was intruding on something personal. Just as she was turning to go, Tommy spotted her and waved. He smiled at her in a way that made her heart race. Henrietta jumped down and ran across the lawn in the hurried lumbering gait only four-year-olds could master.

"Babra!"

Barbara opened the door. "Good Morning, Henrietta. Did you sleep well?"

The girl took her hand and tugged. "Yes. Thank you. Come out with us."

Barbara allowed herself to be pulled across the grass. The chair was not wide enough for her to sit. Tommy went to stand, but Henrietta had a plan. "Babra, you sit on Unc Tommy's lap. I was going to show him my trick." She turned and ran out onto the lawn.

Tommy shrugged. "Yes, Babra, sit on my knee."

Barbara laughed, but he took her hand. His eyes told her to humour the girl. As she had no idea what he and Henrietta had discussed, she sat. Tommy's arms came around her and held her so she did not fall. "She needs distracting. She woke up crying, but didn't want us to know. I heard her sobbing in the bathroom, so suggested she come for a walk with me."

"Good idea." She waved at the girl. "Show us, Henrietta."

With surprising grace, Henrietta did a series of handstands, tumbles and even a type of backflip. Barbara and Tommy applauded as the beaming girl ran over to them. "Very good. Where did you learn that?" Barbara asked.

"Circ school."

"Wonderful. Show us again." As the girl ran back to the grass, Barbara leant back against Tommy's chest. "What's circ school?"

"Hmm?"

Barbara looked at him. "You were miles away."

"Sorry. Yes, I was." He gave her a cheeky grin and tightened his grip around her waist.

"Thinking about Henrietta?"

Tommy shook his head. "No, you."

"Me?"

"Mmm. Is that so strange?"

"Considering all the things we have to do, yeah. What about me?"

Tommy leant closer. For a second, Barbara thought he was going to kiss her again. "Unc Tommy! Babra! You're not watching."

Barbara turned back. "Sorry. Show us Henrietta."

* * *

Stuart rang Barbara just after eight to say he had collected the bodies. "I suspect they died of asphyxiation not drowning, but I will know more once we are back in London."

"Okay, I'll tell Tommy. Leave a message once you know and we will ring you. We don't want Henrietta hearing anything about this on the car speaker."

"Tommy?"

Barbara winced. "Lynley. Phone Lynley."

"Too late. The cat's out of the bag. How long have you two been a couple? A _real_ couple."

"Tsk. We're not a couple. It's just so Henrietta doesn't get confused."

"That's a shame. Maybe you'll get so used to it, you'll stop pushing him away and just accept you are supposed to be together."

"Rubbish. Go and focus on your job Stuart and stop trying to be the village matchmaker."

"No need to get narky. I'll know more in about three hours."

"Good. Thanks."

* * *

While Tommy caught up with James, Barbara helped Henrietta pack her things. It surprised her that the girl packed with almost military precision. After three heavy, disapproving sighs when Barbara had placed something in the wrong spot, she sat back and let the child pack.

"You pack very well."

"I do it every week," Henrietta replied in a superior tone Barbara now knew was genetic.

"Oh? Do you go away most weekends?"

"Uh-huh. Mummy says packing is... I don't remember. But I have to do my own."

When he returned Tommy took the cases to the car. He had been given Henrietta's child-seat despite all the Hibernicus' possessions still being under police guard. "Ready?" he asked as they took one last look around the room for any stray belongings.

"Yes, let's get out of here," Barbara replied as she finished strapping Henrietta into her child-seat. She wanted to be back in London. "Who's driving?"

"It's your car."

"But it's your daughter."

Tommy frowned. "Is your driving somehow safe for me but not my child?"

"Some people don't like their children being driven by someone not in the family."

"You are my family." Tommy opened the passenger door and got in.

* * *

Halfway down the M11, the phone rang. "Havers," she answered over the handsfree.

"Barbara, are you with the DI?"

"Yes, Winston, we're in the car heading back. You're on speaker," she warned him so he would know Henrietta could hear him.

"Come straight here and go to the Citadel."

"The what?"

"It's important. And take very good care on the road. They are very slippery this weather."

Barbara looked at the sky. It was azure blue and cloudless, and the temperature was a out 20C. She frowned at Tommy. He put his finger to his lips. "Thank you, Winston. Understood," he said. Winston rang off.

Barbara mouthed, "what?"

"We might have other road users interested in our destination," he said quietly.

"Ah." Barbara glanced in all her mirrors. "Nothing obvious, but I will watch more closely."

* * *

The rest of the drive was uneventful, but tense. Henrietta had slept, and Tommy had constantly looked around for any threats. Barbara had never been happier to see Scotland Yard's carpark. "And where is the Citadel?" she asked as she unstrapped the still sleepy child.

"Hillier's office I imagine. If not, we can find out. I can't imagine the Commissioner would need to see us."

Tommy was wrong. Hillier bustled them straight upstairs to the penultimate floor. It always amused Barbara that the top floor was considered a terrorist risk and so was where the Met's legal team was housed.

The Commissioner waved away formalities as they entered the office. "Thank God you are all in one piece."

Tommy, who had Henrietta in his arms, frowned and tilted his head subtly at her. He did not want her upset. "Perhaps your secretary could find Henrietta a drink," Tommy said as he lowered her to the floor.

"Yes, yes, excellent idea. Miss Forsyth, send for the others and take Henrietta into my annexe and find her a cool drink."

Tommy knelt down. "Unc Tommy and Barbara have yo talk to these nice men. Go with this lady. We will see you soon."

The girl gripped Tommy's hand. "I don't want a drink."

"Then Miss Forsyth might show you the view from her office."

"Come on, darling," the matronly secretary said extending her hand, "I have some chocolate biscuits in my desk drawer. Would you like one?"

"Do you have ice cream?"

"No, I don't."

Barbara smiled when the girl rolled her eyes. "Okay, a biscuit," Henrietta said clearly not wanting to miss out.

Winston and Stuart arrived just as they were leaving. They stared at her then at a Lynley. Everyone seemed fascinated by the child, and Barbara knew they were putting two and two together.

"Commissioner," they said in unison as they recovered from the shock. Barbara almost expected them to bow.

"What's going on?" Tommy demanded.

Stuart put his hand in Lynley's sleeve. "You were right, they were murdered, but it is more complicated. You had better sit down."

The Commissioner's office had a large lounge area around a low table. As they each found a position, a white screen descended from the ceiling. The Commissioner handed Stuart a remote.

"There was no water in their lungs, but there was evidence of carbon monoxide exposure at rates well over 12,500 parts per million. They would have been unconscious after two breathes and dead within a minute."

"Bloody hell," Barbara said. All eyes turned to her. "Eh, sorry."

"Do we know how?" Tommy asked.

"Not yet, I am still piecing this together. But there is a more disturbing aspect. Inga had a small hole in her chest and another in her armpit."

"She was shot?" Tommy asked.

"No, the holes were cut. It puzzled me at first, but then I found this in Aidan's groin." Stuart flicked a button and an image appeared on the screen. It was about the size of a Nurofen capsule. The glass cylinder was slightly bloody but inside it looked electronic.

"What is it?" Barbara asked.

"A microchip," Stuart told her.

"Like for dogs?"

"This is larger, and hold much more Information."

"And you think someone took two from Inga's body?" Tommy asked.

"One. She had a bone nodule on her chest from an old rib fracture. I think they mistook it for the chip at first."

"And they didn't know Aidan had one?"

"I think his migrated and they didn't have a scanner."

Hillier snorted. "What sort of criminal knows of the chips and doesn't take a scanner?"

"One expecting it to be somewhere, or not knowing, or being disturbed," Tommy said.

"Disturbed alright," Barbara mumbled. She was sitting on the couch beside Tommy, and he elbowed her to discourage her from saying anything too severe.

"Tommy," Stuart said solemnly, "Aidan's said 2 of 3. It has a heaps of numbers people are trying to decipher now. "I think Henrietta might have one too."

Tommy frowned. "Why?"

"It would make sense to put critical information on three chips. It lessens the likelihood someone could steal a secret. As her guardian, we need your permission to search Henrietta."

"And cut her open if you find it?"

"Yes."

"No."

"Lynley, be reasonable," Hillier said, "we can guess your relationship. I don't know what happened with Inga, but..."

"Nothing," Stuart interjected. "That's the other thing. Inga never had a child. There is no sign of a Caesarian or natural childbirth. Inga is not Henrietta's mother."


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's note:** Sorry for the delay, I have had Mum in the hospital for a month, our granddaughter's wedding interstate, several uni assignments and trying to cram for an exam tomorrow. Hoping for a more relaxed November.

* * *

Barbara and Tommy looked at each other, then at Stuart, then back at each other. None of this made sense if Inga was not Henrietta's mother.

"You're right, Sir," Tommy said to Hillier, "Henrietta is my daughter. I had no idea until yesterday. Aidan and Inga had told me Aidan was unable to father children. At the time I believed that they had approached several friends and intended to randomise the sperm."

Hillier snorted. "Trust yours to be fastest to the prize."

Barbara knocked her knee against Tommy. He looked over and read her eyes. He nodded. Losing his temper would solve nothing. "Apparently they only used mine in the end, if they even got any other samples. Aidan left a video and documents to prove it."

"I'll still do a DNA swab on her and compare to yours, just to be certain," Stuart said.

"Yes, that's not invasive, but I won't have you cut open an already traumatised four-year-old."

"Sir," Barbara said. "May I have a word in private?" Everyone turned to her wondering who she meant. "Er, the DI, sorry."

"If you're going to try to talk me into this, it won't work."

Barbara stood. The Commissioner looked around. "Um, I have teams everywhere. My private bathroom is free." He pointed. "Through that door."

Barbara ignored Winston's grin and Stuart's snigger as they walked past. The bathroom was not much bigger than a large cubicle. When Tommy closed the door, they were standing so close that they were virtually embracing. In order to focus, Barbara sat and looked up at him. They both began to laugh softly.

"So why am I in a toilet stall with you, Barbara?"

"Yeah, it feels sordid, doesn't it?"

"Not really, because I would never contemplate... that."

Barbara was not quite sure how to respond, but she knew her face had momentarily shown her disappointment. It was more the way he had emphasised 'that' as an act, rather than here as the location. She waved her hand dismissively rather than answer.

Tommy seemed to scrutinise her. "You deserve so much more than... as you say, something sordid. What couldn't you say out there?"

Did he mean...? Barbara refocussed. "While ever that chip is in her, she's at risk."

"I know, but she will be terrified of us if we start cutting her open to retrieve it. I was trying to build her trust. And now not knowing who her mother is, or why they lied to me... I don't like this one bit."

"None of it is Henrietta's fault. We have to tell her."

"What? Sorry, kid, Daddy wasn't Daddy, but I am, and oh, by the way, Mummy wasn't Mummy but we don't know who your real mother is."

Barbara gave him one of her best no-nonsense looks. "No, I meant about the microchip."

"She won't understand."

"Let me try. We both know it has to be retrieved."

Tommy ran his fingers slowly through his hair. "It's hard to explain. Before yesterday, I wouldn't have hesitated, but now that I am responsible for her, it's different."

"You make a very cute protective dad. I _can_ understand, but we have to do something to stop this, or we will spend our lives running."

"Will _we_?"

"You. You and Henrietta."

Tommy grinned at her. "I prefer the first version."

Barbara stood expecting Tommy to move back. He leant forward slightly, forcing her to move away. She almost fell until his hand came around her back. He pulled her up and against him. Barbara looked up and was about to have a go at him when she saw his face. "What?"

"If anything happens to me, promise me you'll look after Henrietta."

She frowned trying to hide her pain at the thought of losing him. "Of course. But... don't talk like that."

He gave her a gentle, almost grandfather-wise smile. "I don't want anything to happen either." His face moved closer.

As much as Barbara wanted him to kiss her, she was not having their first real kiss in the Commissioner's toilet. She put her hand on his chest. "We should get back to them."

Tommy rapidly pulled his head away. "Yes," he said, "I'm sorry. I.. you... we... should talk later."

Barbara nodded but chose to ignore the implications of that statement. "At least let Stuart examine her."

"He examines dead people, not live patients."

Barbara glared at him. "He's not diagnosing a childhood disease. We have to know where that chip is in her, and if she is in good health otherwise."

Tommy frowned. "Why wouldn't she be in good health?"

"Her parents," Barbara said as she made little rabbits ears in the air, "were not who you thought they were. I don't know what they were mixed up in, but we need to find out, and what if they had her for some other purpose?"

Tommy shuddered. "No, I believe they adored her. I don't think they would harm her in any way."

"Good, but we still have to get her checked over, Tommy."

He nodded. "Only if you can stay with her. I don't want to scare her. She was trying to hide how upset she was from me this morning."

"She's her father's child all right."

Tommy snorted. "Can we please focus on Henrietta?"

"Stuart will be fine with us staying. Do you think Henrietta will get upset?"

"No, we can help her. Well, you can. She needs a motherly influence. Come on, let's get this done."

"Sure." Barbara reached over and flushed the toilet.

"Force of habit?"

"No, just to make them wonder what happened in here."

Tommy gave her a conspiratorial grin. "Am I seeing another side of you, Havers?"

"No, Sir. Not at all."

"Pity..."

* * *

"Did you have some ice cream?" Tommy asked his daughter. He and Barbara had found them in Miss Forsyth's office looking out the window.

She nodded. "Chocolate _and_ strawberry."

"Chocolate and strawberry? Wow, you were lucky. I'm jealous."

The girl leant forward. "There's more in the fridge," she told him in a loud whisper.

Tommy put his arm around her shoulder. "I'll get some later. I like chocolate best."

"And Babra."

Tommy looked up at Barbara and smiled. "Yes, I like Babra as much as chocolate ice cream."

Henrietta frowned in the same way her father often did. "Nooooo, Get Babra some ice cream."

"Yes, get Babra some too, Mr Greedy," Barbara said as she winked at Henrietta.

Tommy raised his eyebrows. "Why do I feel you two are going to gang up on me?"

"Because we are," Barbara replied matter-of-factly.

After rolling his eyes, he turned to Henrietta. "Henrietta, my friend Dr Stuart needs to check you over and make sure you are okay. Barbara will stay with you the whole time. There's nothing to be scared about, but he also needs to rub a little stick around the inside of your mouth to take a DNA sample. We use DNA to..."

The girl lost her smile and looked confused. "I'm not sick."

"We know but we just want to make sure."

The girl shook her head. "That's silly Unc Tommy. I see Dorkter Jones when I'm sick."

Tommy looked at Barbara. His eyes pleaded for help. She was just about to say something when Henrietta became agitated. "Am I sick? Am I going to go to Daddy and Mummy?" Her voice was a cross between terror and excitement.

Barbara bent down and put her hand on the girl's shoulder. "No. You're not sick and you're not going to Heaven yet. But when people have bad things happen to their family, they can get sick. We want to make sure you are okay. That's all."

The girl grabbed her armpit and shook her head. "No. Daddy... says no."

Tommy and Barbara exchanged suspicious glances. "Why does Daddy say no?" Tommy asked.

The girl shook her head vigorously. "Can't tell you."

"Okay..." Tommy looked at Barbara and shrugged.

Barbara lifted Henrietta up and sat her on the table. "Henrietta, do you know what Unc Tommy and I do?" The girl shook her head. "We are policemen."

The girl frowned. "But you're a girl."

"I am a police _woman_ , and Unc Tommy is a police _man_. We are detectives. We solve big crimes. Big mysteries. Those people in that other room are all police too. We help people."

"Do you have a hat?"

Barbara smile. "Yes, at my flat."

The child giggled. "You'd look funny. Unc Tommy, do you have a police car?"

"No, I..."

Barbara cut him off. "Would you like to see a police car?"

Henrietta nodded. "Do you have a pony?"

Barbara tried to follow the four-year-old logic. "No, I don't."

This time Tommy cut in. "Do you want to meet a policeman on his horse?"

"Yes, pleeeeease Unc Tommy!"

"Wait here, I'll be back."

* * *

Tommy lifted Henrietta up into the arms of Sergeant Page who settled her on the shoulders of the horse. "This is Barney," the young policeman said, "do you want to go for a ride?"

Wide-eyed, Henrietta nodded. Page squeezed his legs and Barney began a slow circuit of the yard. Barbara smiled up at Tommy. "In the blood, you think?"

"Horses? Maybe, but doesn't every girl want a pony?"

"No. I wanted a bike."

Tommy grinned at her. "Hopefully Aidan and Inga taught her that the police are good. If she trusts us she might reveal something."

"Did you see her grab her armpit?"

"Yes. I am sure that's where Stuart will find the microchip."

Barney circled back to them. "Unc Tommy! I'm riding a pony."

Tommy smiled. "Yes, you are." He nodded at Page to go around again.

Five minutes later, Tommy lifted Henrietta from the horse. He made sure his hands were in her armpits and he could feel a small lump in her left one. She winced when he 'accidentally' rubbed it. "Ow."

"Did I hurt you?"

She shook her head. "No... it's Daddy's in...su-lation."

"Daddy's insulation?"

"We all got one. Mummy too. Daddy said it would help him... um... remember, I think. It was his in-su-lation. Do you have in-su-lation Unc Tommy?"

"Yes, he does," Barbara said before he could answer. She hoped he would not contradict her. Tommy frowned but said nothing.

* * *

Barbara stayed while Stuart examined Henrietta. The girl seemed fascinated by his accent, so he laid it on thickly. "You seem very healthy Henrietta," he told her, "now did Unc Tommy tell you about needing to rub a stick around your mouth?"

"Yes, for Deena."

"Deena? Oh, yes, for Deena. Here we go. Open wide... all done."

Stuart lifted the girl down and noticed her wince. He lifted her back. Let me have a look under your arm."

The girl shook her head and clamped her arm against her side. Stuart looked at Barbara. "Is it sore?" she asked. The girl nodded. "Then let Doctor Stuart look."

Henrietta looked up at Barbara, then slowly lifted her arm. Barbara helped her out of her shirt. Even to her, the welt looked red and infected.

Stuart examined it quickly. "Get Lynley."

Barbara called Tommy into the room. "What's wrong?"

Stuart lifted her arm pointed to the welt. Tommy winced then bent down. "Henrietta, Daddy's insulation is causing you pain. Dr Stuart needs to take it out."

The girl shook her head furiously. "No."

Barbara knelt down too. "What if Unc Tommy goes first?"

"First?" Tommy asked.

"Yes, what If Unc Tommy has his insulation cut out first?"

Henrietta nodded. "Okay."

Tommy raised his eyebrows. Barbara ignored him and looked at Stuart. "Can you take out Unc Tommy's first?"

Stuart grinned and flicked his eyebrows. "I certainly can. In the groin is it?"

Tommy was about to say something but Barbara cut in again. "No, armpit, just like Henrietta."

Stuart nodded, but still gave Tommy a wicked grin. Barbara knew she would pay for this later.

* * *

Tommy went through the motions, dutifully letting Stuart inject anaesthetic then cut him with a small scalpel he took from a sealed packet. Stuart used a small watch battery as a substitute for the microchip and showed Henrietta before inserting two stitches into Tommy's armpit. Using new needles and scalpel, Stuart repeated the process on Henrietta who held Tommy's hand in a death grip. A small square of green microchip fell into the bowl. Stuart cleaned the wound, stitched it, then injected antibiotics near the site. "All done," he announced happily. "Now that didn't hurt a bit, did it?"

Henrietta shook her head and Tommy gave him a grim smile. "Not a bit," he said insincerely as he glared at both of them.

"That deserves ice cream," Barbara said taking Henrietta's hand.

Tommy grabbed Barbara's other hand. "For both of us."

Barbara let Tommy hold her hand even as he ate his ice cream. They were alone in the room and Henrietta was busy staring out the window. "Does it hurt?" she asked.

"Not yet."

"I thought it might help."

"I'm sure it did."

Barbara was not sure what his even tone was hiding. "I'm sorry, Tommy."

He grinned at her. "Don't be. I... felt fatherly. I know it seems silly, but..." He shrugged.

"It's not silly. It's sweet. You're going to be a wonderful father."

"Only when I get direction from a natural mother."

"I..." Barbara felt her face flush with colour under his soft gaze. She looked down, but he lifted her chin to look at him.

"Barbara..." Tommy moved closer until his face was only an inch from hers. "You have no idea how much I..."

"Unc Tommy! Unc Tommy!"

Tommy groaned and rested his forehead on hers. "Yes?"

"I can see horses."

* * *

The next few hours had gone quickly. Stuart confirmed that the microchip was the last of the series. They had a team of geeks trying to decipher the code. Hillier and the Commissioner insisted that they were escorted to a safe house, which was actually a modern two bedroom flat overlooking the Thames near St Katherine's Dock. Hillier had also ordered Winston to stay with them and sleep on the lounge, and three other plain-clothed police were stationed outside the apartment and entrance to the block.

After pizzas that Stuart had brought, the small group watched some television. Barbara nudged Tommy at seven. "Time for your bed, Henrietta."

The girl looked at Tommy. "Time for bed," he agreed, "but a shower first. Do you need Barbara to help you?"

Henrietta gave him one of his best indignant looks. "I am nearly five!"

The others hid their smiles as Tommy directed her to the bathroom and made sure she had everything she needed. When he came back, he sat down next to Barbara and huffed. This time they laughed. "We don't really need that DNA test, do we?" Lafferty said.

Tommy ignored the implication. "When will we have the results?"

"In the morning. They are rushing it for me. I will ask the Danes to run it too, to see if we can get a match for the mother. Speaking of which I should be going. I'll call you when I know anything."

Tommy stood and showed him to the door. "Thanks again, Stuart."

"No problem."

"Babra."

"Coming," Barbara called as she stood. "Seems I am needed. Will you put her to bed?"

Tommy frowned. "She will have to go into the main room with you. I'll take the single room."

"But... she'll want you."

"I don't think it's appropriate for me to be alone with her, even though I am her father. She doesn't know that. I... don't want any issues."

Winston sighed. "Don't pretend on my account." They turned and looked at him, then each other, then Winston again. "The three of you will end up together. The kid needs that for a while. And besides, that bed would be more comfortable for me than this couch."

Tommy nodded. "Yes, thank you, Winston. You are right."


	5. Chapter 5

Barbara was already in bed with Henrietta beside her when Tommy came from the bathroom. Just as he had last night, he stopped and looked at her in the dim glow of the nightlight before climbing in beside her.

"This afternoon, we were interrupted."

Barbara frowned then remembered the moment she thought he was about to kiss her. "Were we?"

"Yes, we were. As I was about to say, I have wanted to do this for a very long time."

Tommy put his arm over her waist and snuggled closer. They stared at each other for several seconds before he kissed her. It was short and felt as if he was testing the waters. "Was that it?" Barbara asked. After the buildup, she had expected something far grander.

"No, I..." He abandoned his words and kissed her again. This time it was slightly awkward as they were both grinning. He left his lips against hers until his grin formed into the shape of her mouth. It was sweet agony that she wanted to stop but never stop. He moved away. "Thank you, Barbara. For everything."

"Stop saying tha..." This time he caught her open mouth. His lips rolled her top lip slowly backwards and forwards. This kiss had intent.

"Ah-argh."

He moved away. "I'm sorry. I thought..."

"Don't be sorry. That one was just a... surprise."

"Was it? I thought after several attempts today, my intentions were clear."

"Yes... I thought... sort of, but... I never dreamed... but... it still seems unreal. After all these years, it was a surprise."

"Was it a pleasant one?"

She closed her eyes. "Yes... very."

He moved closer, placing light kisses on her chin and nose. When his lips found hers, they exchanged caresses. It started slowly, but within seconds their mouths had opened and their tongues were dancing. This bizarre day had just turned crazier. It was good crazy as those ridiculous American sitcoms liked to say. Gloriously crazy. Sensually crazy. All manner of crazy, crazy. CRAZY!

"What are we doing?" she asked when they paused, panting for breath with their faces only a couple of centimetres apart.

"Something we should have done years ago."

"But..."

"Barbara, last night I realised that I can't wait for the perfect time. It will never come, and we might miss our only chance at happiness. You heard what Aidan said on that tape, you do drive me crazy, but I never stop thinking about you."

"We argue too much."

"Uh, we bicker. We never really mean it. We never try to hurt each other. I think we are just finding our boundaries and our common ground. When I stood watching Henrietta cuddling you last night, the way the blankets fell made you look pregnant and I wanted that, more than anything I have ever wanted. I want us to be a family. I want a child with you - a feisty, arrogant, bad-tempered child with a heart of gold."

"Oh!" That did shock her. Then she narrowed her eyes. "I'm not arrogant."

"He has to have some of my characteristics too."

Barbara laughed softly. "I don't believe we are having this conversation."

"Don't you? Are my feelings so very different from yours? The way you kissed me..."

Tommy never finished his sentence. Barbara did not know who moved first. She suspected it was simultaneous. This time their kiss was unrestrained, like a fire that escaped the fireplace and burnt down the house.

"I want to make love to you, Barbara."

Barbara pointed to the bundle asleep between their legs. "We can't."

"I know. Not tonight. But soon. I love you. I want you and the world to know that."

Barbara closed her eyes. This must be a dream. "I have always loved you, Tommy."

His answering kiss was gentle. It felt honest and full of love. Barbara felt guilty that she had found joy at the expense of others, but she was happy, and she wanted that to continue. She kept kissing him until her lips went numb.

"We should sleep," Tommy said, "but not like this, with Henrietta between us. May I get in behind you and cuddle?"

"I'd like that." Barbara smiled at him then stroked his face as he moved it closer to her and kissed her again. They jolted back to reality when Henrietta started to thrash about and cry out.

"Daddy! Dad-deeee!" Henrietta's hands flailed against both of them.

Tommy wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. "It's okay, Henrietta."

The girl hit him hard with angry fists. "You're. Not. My. Daddy! I want Daddy."

Barbara felt helpless as she watched Tommy hold the struggling child whose muted screams soon became huge wracking sobs. Tommy never released his grip or stopped rubbing the girl's back as he tried to soothe her. Eventually she calmed. Her breathing was heavy. Barbara passed her tissues to blow her nose.

"Sorry, Unc Tommy," Henrietta said softly.

"Don't be. We are here. Whenever you need us."

Tommy reached over and put his arm on Barbara's waist and tugged gently. She wriggled forward until the adults sandwiched Henrietta. Tommy's arm extended over both of them. It comforted Barbara so she reached over and after gently stroking his face, let her arm rest on his shoulder. In the dull yellow glow she watched him smiling u til they closed their eyes and drifted to sleep.

* * *

Barbara cradled her coffee as she watched Tommy and Henrietta standing at the mirrored wardrobe door combing there hair. She doubted it was conscious, but they both did it exactly the same way. Tommy's phone rang. He turned and fished it from his jacket pocket. "Lynley... ah, Mother, hello."

"Come on, Henrietta, let's get some breakfast," Barbara suggested to allow him some privacy.

A few minutes later, Winston joined them. He engaged Henrietta in a conversation about the Wiggles, an Australian kid's group that he liked whose television show was about to start. Barbara made a note to question him more about that later. She smiled as they sat on the couch and sang along.

"Winston's a natural."

Barbara turned and smiled at Tommy. The memory of his kiss was still on her lips. "Yeah, I am going to ask him about that. What did your mother say?"

Tommy leant forward and kissed her. It was quick and she was unable to respond before he turned to make a cup of tea. "The first thing was that it was a good job the child was not male. After that, she actually showed genuine concern."

Barbara started at him. He had kissed her in front of Winston, even though she doubted the constable had noticed. Tommy frowned. "Are we...?" she asked.

"I thought so. I meant what I said." He brought his cup over and laid it on the bench before putting his hands on her waist and leaning forward. "If we were alone, you would be naked and in bed with me."

"Oh, god..."

Tommy laughed softly. "Does that frighten you?"

"No." Her voice was half an octave too high. "Yeah. It scares me because..." She left it unsaid.

"Am I moving too fast?"

Barbara shook her head. "No, it's just that... I never dreamed it would happen."

"It will," he said with certainty, "if you want it too."

"Yes."

"What are you two lovebirds up to?"

"Winston." Barbara jumped and tried to move away but Tommy's arms stopped her.

"I'm not hiding it, Barbara," he said firmly before turning to Winston. "I was just about to kiss the woman I love."

"Whoa! Way. To. Go! About time." Then Winston narrowed his eyes. "Or have you two been at it for months?"

"No," Tommy reassured him. "I just realised that life is too short to waste being scared of what might happen."

"Henrietta," Winston said, "do you want to help me cook breakfast while we Wiggle? Unc Tommy and Babra have to talk to a few people. They will be in the other room."

The girl nodded. "Eggs?"

"If you like." He turned to Tommy. "Everything should ready in about... mmm, thirty minutes?"

Barbara felt her face flush. Winston thought they were going to have sex. "Winston we..."

Tommy took her hand. "Thank you, Winston."

* * *

In the bedroom, Barbara sat on the bed. "He thinks we are going to... do it."

Tommy laughed. "No, I want more than thirty minutes, but we could continue where we left off last night."

"Won't that lead to the same thing?"

Tommy's grin grew wider and hungrier. "If we had more time, maybe. I can wait."

"What if I can't?"

Tommy laughed as he sat beside her. "Then the eggs might go cold."

* * *

When they emerged nearly forty minutes later, they had not consummated their love, but they had overcome the awkwardness of a new relationship. They had kissed and talked and begun to explore each other's bodies. Barbara had discovered how the crook of her neck was seemingly directly connected to her uterus. Tommy's kisses and nibbling teeth had set her body on fire. As she had rolled on top of him, she had discovered his body was responding similarly to the way she nosed her face through the soft, downy hair on his chest when she unbuttoned his shirt. While it was frustrating, Barbara knew it was also good for them. When the time came, they would be comfortable with each other, not just as friends, but as lovers.

"I love you," Tommy whispered reassuringly as they walked over to the table.

She smiled at time. "Yeah, me too."

* * *

"You did an excellent job," Tommy said to Henrietta as he finished his eggs.

The girl beamed at him. "Daddy and I make breakfast for Mummy on Sundays."

Barbara saw her try to hide her expression as she realised that would never happen again. "Maybe you and Unc Tommy can do that for me on Sundays?"

Henrietta nodded politely but Tommy turned and gave her a heart-melting smile. "Yes, that's a wonderful idea, my love."

My love? Had they already reached pet name stage? Barbara ignored Winston's elbow in her side. "So? Do I need to buy a new suit, M'lady?"

She turned and scowled. "No." She widened her eyes then narrowed them in the universal 'shut the hell up' signal, but Winston simply grinned at her. When she turned back, Tommy's grin was just as cheeky.

"Informal wedding then?" her new not-quite-lover asked.

"Don't you start."

Before he could reply, his phone began to chirp again. "Lynley... yes... come over... right. Thank you, Stuart."

Barbara raised her eyebrows.

"Doc Stuart will be here in half an hour." Henrietta grabbed her armpit and wiggled back in her chair. "He doesn't need to see you, Henrietta. Don't be scared."

The tension drained from the child's face before fear rushed back. "Are you sick?"

"No," Tommy said as he put his arm around her. Stuart is also our friend. He just wants to talk to Barbara and me."

The girl turned to Barbara who nodded then tried to look relaxed by picking up another piece of toast. "Uh-huh. Why don't you and Unc Tommy go and clean your teeth?"

The girl screwed up her face and sighed then held her hand out to Tommy.

Barbara followed them into the bathroom and watched. As she suspected, they brushed in the same sequence. Henrietta was staring at Tommy in the mirror. They finished at the same time, rinsed their brushes then turned to her. "Yes, alright. I am going to brush mine too, but there's no point pushing in."

Unused to an audience, Barbara found it unnerving as they watched. She always did her top teeth first, back and front before moving to the bottom. They had done the fronts of both then the backs. Their disapproval was almost palpable. "They still all get cleaned," she said as she spat her toothpaste into the basin. Henrietta frowned, but Tommy smiled. Barbara was being judged by a four-year-old, and wondered what she would be like as a teenager. "What?" she said feeling there was more.

Henrietta looked up. "Who is Lynley?"

Tommy frowned. "That's my name. Tommy Lynley."

Henrietta shook her head. "Hibernicus."

"No, that's... your name."

"But Unc Tommy, you and Daddy..."

Tommy exchanged a puzzled glance with Barbara. Then he knelt down. "Daddy and I were friends, not brothers. We have different names."

"But you're my unc-kell."

"Uncle is a name used for adults who are close to the family too. So Winston could be Uncle Winston for example. Or Doc Stuart could be Uncle Stuart."

"Oh." The girl tilted her head slightly then looked at Barbara. "But..."

Tommy put his arm around the girl. "Mmm?"

"You look like me."

Barbara gasped. Both of them turned to her. Tommy shook his head slightly and their eyes quickly agreed it was too soon. "You just have dark hair, like Unc Tommy."

The girl looked at Tommy who smiled. She reached out and ran her small hand over his face. "Daddy had red hair. Mummy was blonde."

Barbara watched as Tommy tried to look unfazed in the face of the precocious logic of the budding geneticist. "Lots of people have dark hair," Barbara told her.

"Okay. Is Unc Winston still watching the Wiggles?"

Tommy patted her head. "Why don't you go and see? We'll be out in a minute."

"Okay." The girl ran out. "Unc Winston."

"She's smart," Tommy said.

"A bit too bloody smart. You won't be able to hide the truth for long. You two are like... twins."

"It certainly helps answer the nature versus nurture debate."

"Right now, it's more important that we settle the 'who is her mother' debate. What did Stuart say?"

"He has the results and that we need to be sitting down."

"What? Why?"

"I have no idea, but I suspect things are going to get more complicated."

"Is that possible?"

Tommy smiled. "Don't tempt fate."


	6. Chapter 6

Sorry for the delay. Life is... life.

* * *

When Stuart arrived about thirty minutes later, Winston and his apprentice Wiggle answered the door. "Hello, Henrietta," Stuart said, "how's your arm?"

"Fine, Unc Stuart." She tugged at Winston's hand, "Unc Winston, the Wiggles."

Stuart bent down. "Show me."

The girl sighed but lifted her arm and pulled up her t-shirt. Stuart carefully pulled back the edge of the protective bandage. "It looks good. Thank you, Henrietta."

She reached up and grabbed Winston's hand again. When he did not respond to her less than subtle demands, she turned and trotted back to the settee alone.

"Yes, okay. Give me a minute." Winston shrugged at Stuart. "The Lord and Lady are in their bedroom," he said nonchalantly.

"Their bedroom? Don't tell me he's finally worked out he loves her?"

"They both have judging by the way they were carrying on earlier."

"Yeah? I did wonder yesterday." Stuart made no pretence at hiding his glee. "Oh, this is going to be fun."

"Any progress?"

Stuart nodded. "But best you keep Wiggling and learn the songs. I can tell you later."

Winston rolled his eyes. "She's about the same age as my niece. I already know the songs."

Stuart clapped him on his back. "The right man for the job then. I will go and interrupt the lovers."

"I don't envy you that if you do interrupt something."

* * *

Stuart knocked. Tommy answered instantly, and the pathologist was slightly disappointed not to find them hastily trying to hide their relationship. Instead, they were sitting on the bed holding hands. Clearly, they had been deep in conversation.

"Ah," Stuart said, "so Winston was right."

Tommy nodded. "Life is too short to pretend. What did you learn?"

"Hello, Stuart. Nice to see you, Stuart." The pathologist pulled a chair towards the bed and sat down.

Barbara elbowed Tommy. "Sorry, we are just tired and a bit anxious."

Stuart waved his hand. "It's fine, Barbara. Well, M'lord, you are her father. There is no doubt about that. Her mother though is interesting."

Tommy and Barbara exchanged a look that Stuart read as a mix of relief and concern. "Why?" Tommy demanded.

"Inga was her mother."

Barbara frowned. "But you said she had never... was that body Inga's?"

"Yes. Inga never gave birth and was never pregnant."

Barbara looked at Tommy. He frowned then nodded. "Only one way that can occur."

"Two," Stuart replied. "She either had an identical twin who had Henrietta, or they used a surrogate. I would suggest surrogacy is more likely."

"Any reason?" Tommy asked, "Inga never struck me as the vain type."

"She had been sterilised. I think at a very early age. Interestingly, so had Aidan."

"What?"

"Inga's tubes had been ligated. I would think shortly after birth. Aidan had also had a pre-pubescent vasectomy. His testes still produced hormones, so he was unlikely to have ever known. Other than his inability to father offspring, he would have had no other symptoms."

"Uggh. Who sterilises children?" Barbara asked. "And why?"

Tommy let go of her hand and lent forward with his elbows on his knees and his chin on his knuckles. "It must be rare, and yet two sterilised people managed to find each other. That has to be more than a coincidence."

Stuart nodded. "I thought that. It gets more complex."

"How?"

"The Danes had Inga's father's DNA on record. Apparently, his death was suspicious, but nothing could be proved. He was not her biological father."

"Was she an orphan too?" Barbara asked.

Stuart shrugged. "Science can do a lot, but not tell me if someone's parents were dead. And, you'll love this twist, Inga and Aidan shared some DNA sequences."

Barbara gasped. "They were related?"

"How closely?" Tommy asked.

"Probably first cousins or possibly first cousins once removed."

"Meaning?" Barbara stared at Stuart. She was becoming as annoying as her lover.

"They shared at least one grandparent or one's grandparent was the other's great-grandparent."

Barbara stood and walked to the window. "That makes no sense. If Aidan was Irish..."

"He was set up to appear Irish," Tommy said. "The hair colour and the religious icons were all he had to assume that."

"How many red-haired Danes are there?" Barbara asked Stuart.

"About six per cent of their population. Scotland and Ireland are twice that. Britain is about the same as Denmark. They think the Vikings carried the gene. So, red hair is not impossible, not even unlikely."

Tommy stood and moved to the window. "We are only assuming they were Danish. Why abandon him in England? Maybe they sent Inga to Denmark. Maybe whatever this is, is based here."

Barbara looked up at him. "What is this? A crime of some sort?"

Tommy shrugged. "I have no idea, but..." He ran his fingers through his hair. "So... they were both like me, in their early forties... that would mean this started around the Second World War."

"Are you thinking...?"

"Maybe..."

"Before you two disappear into your own world, I presume you are thinking Nazis?"

Tommy nodded. "Possibly, unless... there's never been any evidence that we tried to create a master race."

"No, but Nazis might explain... Denmark and Norway were occupied during the war. Sweden stayed neutral. It would have been easier to conduct experiments in cross-breeding in Denmark, and they had plenty of good Aryan specimens as prisoners."

Barbara grabbed the back of Tommy's belt in a move Stuart found unusual but oddly sensual. It was clear she was not going to let Lord Asherton be the boss. "So who wanted them dead?"

Tommy shook his head. "No idea." He turned to Stuart who was still staring at the way Barbara was holding the back of Tommy's belt. "Maybe red-hair was not part of the plan."

Barbara tugged the belt. "But wasn't Inga blonde?"

Tommy frowned. "Yes. we are just guessing here. Any progress on the microchips?"

Stuart joined them at the window. "Hopefully tomorrow. Until then, you probably have the best idea of what happened. Can you interview Henrietta?"

Tommy glowered at him. "Should I take her to the Yard and formally caution her?"

Barbara moved her hand to his arm. "He didn't mean that, but Stuart's right. Maybe she knows something."

"I might start with James Heatherington, Aidan's solicitor. He has letters and tapes from Aidan. There might be a clue amongst them."

"Good idea," Stuart said, "and I will chase the microchips. By the way, how did I get demoted from Doc Stuart to Unc Stuart?"

"Henrietta recognised her similarity to Tommy."

"More mine to her."

Stuart frowned. "Do you think she knows you're her father?"

"Not yet. I worry that if she finds out, it will hurt her badly. She adored Aidan."

Stuart twisted his mouth thoughtfully. "You are going to have to tell her," he said eventually.

"Not until I can explain what has happened."

"Let me know if anything comes of your meeting with the solicitor. I can let myself out."

Stuart turned to leave. "Stuart," Tommy called.

"Mmm?"

"Stuart," Tommy said softly, "can you tell whether Henrietta has been..."

"Sterilised?"

"Mmm." Tommy nodded. "I... the thought of doing that to a child... my child."

"Only by ultrasound, and on a child that young... it would be hard to be conclusive without invasive surgery. I think we should leave that for a while."

Tommy sat on the bed. "I understand."

* * *

After Stuart left, Barbara put her arm around Tommy. "I doubt they would do that to her. From what you've said, and the video Aidan left, they were besotted with her. I can understand that if they never believed they could have children."

"Who does that to children? It has to have been done to Aidan at birth too. He was in foster care until he came to Eton. I met his foster mother. I cannot imagine she would condone that."

"And they were related. I wonder if they knew?"

"Hmm, I don't think so."

"Is this some kind of sick experiment? If they were rejected from a programme."

"Because they were sterilised?"

"Yeah."

"Then that means the programme was still going after the war."

"If someone is killing them now, Tommy, it's still going."

Tommy swore then thumped the bed. "We have to stop this, Barbara."

"First, we have to work out who they are. If Aidan and Inga didn't make the grade, then others might be out their too."

"So we run a trace on all sterilised orphans across Europe. How exactly do we do that, Havers?"

"This is as confusing for me as you, Tommy. You have to focus and not let your feelings interfere with your logic."

"I'm sorry."

"I know. Maybe they had a flaw of some kind that the scientists didn't want to be perpetuated. That would explain being related."

Tommy nodded slowly. "It could, and then Inga harvested an egg anyway. So they were worried something unwanted would. Oh, dear heaven, what if...?"

"Henrietta has a genetic flaw?"

Tommy nodded grimly. "Yes."

"That might be why they chose you and didn't harvest sperm from Aidan. Balance out whatever it is with your brilliant genes."

"Don't be sarcastic. Not now."

"I wasn't," she protested. "From where I sit, you have great genes. And it may not be a flaw or anything dangerous, just something they don't want. Is there a left-wing gene?"

"A left-wing gene? I doubt it, and I certainly hope there isn't a Nazi gene. You think I'm worrying too much."

Barbara stood and put her arms around Tommy and let him burrow his face into her shirt. "No, you're her father. Of course, you worry. You are a great dad."

Tommy looked up. "Do you think so?"

Barbara nodded. "Yeah, I do. And I still say you have wonderful genes."

Tommy gave her a wry smile. "What are you saying?"

"You know what I'm saying."

Tommy's eyes softened into the most loving look Barbara could imagine. Without a word, they agreed to start a family together. If the situation had allowed, Barbara knew they would have started trying that instant. Tommy leant over and kissed her. "I want that too, Barbara. I am literally aching to make love to you."

"Tommy!"

"I'm sorry, but it's true. Even with everything else happening, I keep thinking about it. We need a few hours alone without Winston in the next room and a four-year-old in our bed."

Barbara started to laugh then sat beside him. "You think that, but we don't."

"Why not?"

"Because no matter what we intend, we're not going to make love slowly, are we? We both know that. Not after this morning."

Tommy stood. "I should call James."

Barbara nodded. "You should." She lay back on the bed and closed her eyes. When she heard the door close, she groaned in frustration.

The bed dipped as Tommy joined her. "An hour won't matter."

"What if they hear us?"

"They're singing Wiggles songs. They won't hear us." Tommy kissed her neck.

"What if Henrietta comes in?"

"I locked the door." Tommy bit her neck gently.

"Good."

"Yes."

Tommy's hand moved under her shirt. "Very good."

"It is."

He rolled across her body keeping his weight on his knees and elbow but making his desires very clear. Barbara grabbed the back of his belt. "Excellent."

Her hands moved around between them as she searched for his buckle. "Perfect," he murmured before he kissed her.

* * *

Barbara allowed Tommy to dress her slowly. She had always imagined him undressing her, but this was different yet equally sensual. She glanced down at his naked body. It was hard to believe they had just made love. As predicted, they had started slowly, but it had soon escalated. She sighed heavily as Tommy pulled her bra straps up on her shoulders.

"Did I hurt you?"

"No, no, not at all. I was just thinking about... I never imagined I could feel this..." She shrugged.

Tommy knelt up and kissed her. "Content? Happy? Fulfilled?"

"All of those, but I was thinking more of..." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "Lustful."

He kissed her stomach just above her scar. "Neither did I, but I enjoyed being the beneficiary."

Barbara laughed softly. "Oh, right, and you just lay back and thought of England I suppose."

"You know I didn't."

"Stop kissing me there, or... oh... dear... heaven..."

"Heaven indeed."

* * *

"Unc Tommy! I'm hungry." The locked doorknob twisted and rattled.

"Well, we can't have that. Babra and I will be out soon." He moved slightly so that Barbara was resting more comfortably in his arms.

"When you stop kissing?"

Barbara suppressed a laugh. Tommy's face was the picture of pure guilt. He glared at her in a loving reproach. "I'm talking to you. How can I be kissing Barbara?"

There was a moment's hesitation. Barbara could imagine the girl assessing that logic. "There's no ice cream."

Tommy and Barbara both grinned. "I will get some, but you have to eat something else too."

The girl grumbled something inaudible. Barbara could imagine her face. "Okay, can I have chocolate ice cream?"

* * *

"I'm coming too." Henrietta stood defiantly with her arms crossed.

"I'll only be ten minutes."

"No."

Tommy looked over at Barbara. She bent down. "Unc Tommy has to go out to get your ice cream."

The girl shook her head vehemently. "No... he won't come back."

"Yes, he will."

"No. That's what Daddy said."

Tommy bent down and picked the girl up. Her arms went around his neck and held him like a vice. "Will you let Babra go and get some?" The girl shook her head. "Unc Winston?"

"Okay."

Winston made a face. "I sing the Wiggles, but I'm the disposable one."

"Winston..."

Barbara put her hand on Tommy's arm. "It was a joke."

"I know. I'm sorry Winston, but..."

Winston smiled and shrugged. "Chocolate for everyone?"

Barbara and Tommy nodded. Barbara fetched her wallet and gave him five pounds. "Morrison's chocolate is quite good."

"Give him more. I'll pay. Get three tubs of Haagen Das or Movenpick."

"Movenpick Swiss Chocolate," a cheeky little voice said as Henrietta lifted her head from Tommy's shoulder.

"Is that your favourite too? It's my favourite." The girl nodded. "Then that's what we will have." Tommy lowered her to the ground and pulled out his wallet. "Buy some fresh rolls and some ham too. And butter. Better get some Old English mustard too."

Winston took the money. "Henrietta, take Auntie Barbara in and show her the drawing you did."

"Okay." The girl tugged at Barbara's hand.

As she was led away, Barbara heard Winston whisper. "I think Henrietta knows more than she is saying."


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's note:** This chapter was originally too big, so I have split it in two. The good news is that the next instalment will be tomorrow.

* * *

Tommy walked into the lounge room and sat on the couch next to Barbara. Almost instantly his daughter climbed onto his lap. Barbara snuggled against him. For the first time since before his father died, he felt part of a family. He put his arm around Barbara's shoulder and kissed her head as he put his other arm around Henrietta's waist and pulled her back against him.

"Show Unc Tommy your drawing."

The girl lifted her piece of paper. Tommy frowned. There were two crayon drawings, both hard to decipher, but different in mood. On one side a red-haired figure and a blonde were lying on a patch of yellow ground as a blonde man in what looked like a pirate costume stood over them. He seemed to have flames around his feet. Over the page, a tall person and a small version of the same person were riding horses while a shorter reddish woman looked on.

"Who are the people riding horses?" Tommy asked.

"You and me! Unc Winston said you had lots of horses and would teach me to ride. He said Babra didn't like horses."

"That's not true," Barbara said, "but I can't ride. Maybe Unc Tommy can teach both of us."

"Oh, yes, please! Can you Unc Tommy-Daddy?"

Tommy exchanged a glance with Barbara. Unc Tommy-Daddy? "Yes, although Babra will probably fall off and we will have to try not to laugh at her."

"You'll save her," Henrietta said as if Tommy was completely silly.

"Yes, you will save me." Tommy knew it was a demand, not a request.

"Of course." He turned the page. "Who is the man here?"

Henrietta's mood changed. "That's Daddy's master. I don't like him."

"Why not?"

"He makes Daddy sad."

"Are they at the beach?"

Henrietta ran her hand through her hair. "No. I didn't know what colour Heaven was, but you said it was in the sky so I made it yellow, like the Sun."

"Very good thinking, Henrietta." Tommy had no idea what else to say, but he stroked the girl's back in a gesture of comfort.

"Master is from Hell."

"Oh!" Tommy was shocked by the vitriol in her voice.

Henrietta pointed to the flames. "That's why he's on fire."

"Why is he dressed like a pirate?"

Henrietta giggled. "He's not a pirate! That's his mask. Over here." She ran her hand over one side of her face. "He's ugly."

"Have you met him?"

She nodded. "I wasn't meant to, but I wanted Daddy to read to me. Daddy was kneeling on the floor. Like this." The girl scrambled off Tommy's legs and onto the floor. She knelt then began bowing and prostrating herself.

"Hop up," Tommy said a little too harshly. He was not annoyed with her but this Master. "Come back up here."

The girl happily obeyed and hid her face against Tommy's chest. They sat in silence as he held her. After a couple of minutes, she put her head up. "Unc Tommy?"

"Yes?"

"Daddy told me a secret."

"What secret?"

Henrietta looked around then lifted her arm and pointed to her bandage. "When we got these."

Barbara nudged him, and Tommy nodded. He had a habit of interrogating people, and Henrietta would withdraw if he did. He had to be patient and let her tell him in her own way. "Mmm?"

She wriggled up and pulled on the lock of hair that had fallen over his left eye. "I have a second daddy."

Tommy glanced at Barbara who looked as startled as he was sure he did. "Do you?"

"He looks like me and is rich."

"Oh?" Tommy swallowed hard. "Do you know who it is?"

Henrietta cocked her head as if making a solemn decision. "I... think... you're my second daddy..." her voice sounded scared as if she feared Tommy would reject her if she were wrong. "Aren't you? Daddy said my second Daddy would come and protect me?"

Tommy hugged her close. Despite his efforts, tears streamed down his face. He could barely speak. "Yes, I'm your second daddy, Henrietta. I will keep you safe."

"Why are you crying? Don't you want to be my second daddy?"

Tommy sniffed loudly, in a most unearl-like manner. "Yes, I do. Very much."

"Don't cry. Please, Tommy-Daddy." Henrietta knelt on his lap and reached up and wiped the tears from his cheeks with her little hands. Tommy glanced at Barbara who was looking at them both with tears dribbling unchecked down her cheeks. She tried a weak smile, but it caused more tears.

"I'm crying because I am happy. You're very clever to work that out, Henrietta."

"I am smarter than everyone in my class." It was not conceited, just a statement of fact.

Barbara laughed and nudged him in the ribs. "Definitely your daughter."

There was a loud rattle behind them as the apartment's door opened then closed. "Why is everyone crying?"

"Henrietta worked out that I am her father."

"Good. I have ice cream," Winston said as he walked into the lounge. Barbara nodded at him. "Come on Henrietta, help me find some bowls and spoons."

* * *

Barbara watched with amusement as Tommy and Henrietta wolfed their Swiss Chocolate. He managed to keep his face clean, but Henrietta seemed to find the spoon a bit too big and smeared it across the face and hands. When she finished, Barbara thought a wash was needed. "Come on, let's wash your face and paws."

The girl laughed and held up her hands. "I don't have paws, Barbra. I have hands."

"Then we need to wash your hands. And your face."

"Suppose." The girl gave her a surly look. It was one her father often used when forced to do something he did not wish to do.

As they washed, Henrietta stared at Barbara who quickly checked in the mirror that she had not miscued with her ice cream. Happy that she still held the high moral ground, Barbara finished drying the girl's hands. "Something on your mind?"

"Are you and Tommy-Daddy married?"

Barbara felt her face flush. "No, we're... just good friends."

"But you sleep with him."

Barbara could barely believe that a four-year-old could understand the concept. "That's an adult thing," she replied in a tone she hoped ended the conversation.

Henrietta looked puzzled. "But last night... you and Tommy-Daddy and me..."

Barbara realised her guilt had overcome common sense. The child was thinking literally of sleeping together, not the euphemistic sense. "Oh, yes, we... sometimes sleep together." Barbara looked in the mirror and frowned at herself. She was digging a bigger hole. "But I have my own flat, at Chalk Farm. Tommy-Daddy lives in Belgravia."

"I live in Mayfair."

Barbara smiled but said nothing.

"Do you have a horse?"

"No."

"Will I live with Tommy-Daddy now?"

"Yes."

"Will I have my own room?"

Barbara nodded. "Of course."

"Can I still stay with you and Tommy-Daddy? I... don't want to sleep by myself."

"At first, yes, but when you are settled, you won't want to stay with us. Big girls sleep by themselves."

"Do you have your own room at Tommy-Daddy's?"

"Um... no." It was not a lie... exactly.

Henrietta grinned. "You should marry Tommy-Daddy."

Barbara tried not to smile. "Should I?"

"Yes. Then he can kiss you."

Barbara did smile. "He has to ask me first."

"Okay."

"Right, now are you all clean, Henrietta?" The girl nodded. "Good, then we can go back."

The bundle of energy ran ahead of her. Barbara walked in the door just as the girl squealed to a halt in front of her father. "Whoa, what's the rush?" he asked.

"You have to ask Babra to marry you so that you can kiss her and make her a Babra-Mummy."

Tommy looked across at Barbara and smiled. "Did Babra, er Barbara, tell you that?"

Henrietta nodded. "She said you have to ask her so that we can all sleep together until I am too big and then I will have my own room."

"I see. I think I can manage that, but Barbara may not want to marry me."

"She does."

Barbara watched as Tommy tried to hide his grin. "How do you know that?"

"She wants to learn to ride, and her farm doesn't have horses."

"Oh, well. Then, of course, she will marry me. Straight away. Won't you Barbara?"

"Um..." Barbara shrugged. "That wasn't exactly what I said."

Henrietta tugged at his hand. "No..." she said with the exasperation children have for silly adults. "You have to do it like they do with real princes. In the books." The girl tried to pull him over towards Barbara. Before either adult could protest, Tommy was on one knee, and Henrietta had grabbed Barbara's hand and shoved it in his.

Tommy took the hint. "Barbara, would you do me the great honour of marrying me?"

Winston and Henrietta clapped and cheered. Barbara gave the constable her filthiest look. She looked at Tommy. His eyes quickly said this was for Henrietta but that he wanted to marry her. Barbara sighed. "Yes."

Winston made a whooping sound. "Way to go Henrietta."

Tommy's face broke into a grin. He half rose and pulled her down into his arms. "I meant it. I love you," he whispered before kissing her as he bent her back over his knee.

Barbara's head spun, but she surrendered to the moment and kissed Tommy with passion. Two days ago they had been just work colleagues, and now she had allowed a four-year-old to manipulate her into marriage. "Tommy, this is crazy," she said when they paused.

"We both need more crazy in our lives." This time his kiss was gentle and loving. It felt reassuring. By the time they stopped, the room was empty. There was noise coming from the kitchen. Barbara smiled at him as she went to stand. "I think Winston is giving us privacy."

Tommy was still kneeling on one knee. He held her firmly and sat her on his leg. "Barbara, that may have been set up by the romantic notions of my daughter, but... I do want us to be married, more than anything. This situation is crazy, I agree, but we both know we can never go back. I would have preferred a romantic dinner and a memorable location shimmering in the moonlight to ask you, but this is no less sincere."

"I'm not really the moonlight type." She stroked his face. "But I will try to make you happy, Tommy."

He grinned at her. "You do." He went to kiss her again, but she stood. "What?"

"We can't get lost in these four walls. We have to solve this... situation."

Tommy nodded then used the sofa to leverage himself to his feet. He rubbed his knees. "You're right. I'll ring James."


	8. Chapter 8

Sorry, I had PC and FF issues yesterday.

* * *

Winston had been up most of the night keeping guard over the apartment and its occupants. He yawned loudly. "Sorry."

"Go to bed. We will be fine," Barbara said as she almost had to physically push him into his bedroom. "Do you want me to sing Wiggles songs to lull you to sleep?"

Winston grinned and put up his hands. "I'm going, I'm going, anything but that."

After sending him to bed, Barbara volunteered to Henrietta-sit in the bedroom while Tommy and James Heatherington used the lounge area to discuss more about Aidan's life.

"Thanks, we shouldn't be too long." Tommy came closer and gave Barbara a quick peck on her cheek and a less obvious squeeze of her tail.

"Hmm, good."

"Do you think four-year-olds need afternoon naps?"

"Definitely... on the couch with the TV, not in our bed."

Tommy turned his squeeze into a gentle fondle. "My thoughts exactly."

* * *

"You're too good," Barbara said with amazement as the youngster beat her at Scrabble for the second time. The first time, Barbara convinced herself she had let the girl win. This time she had genuinely tried to compete. "Do you want another game?"

"Yes, please."

Henrietta mixed the tiles and allowed Barbara first draw. She grimaced at her selection. She had a Q but no U, three Ss, a P, J and an L. "What am I supposed to do with these? I don't have any vowels."

"Poor Babra." The girl did not look commensurately sorry.

"Who taught you to play? Most girls your age can't even read yet."

"I can read," Henrietta said as if Barbara had grossly insulted her intellect. "It's not hard. Daddy taught me to read and play Scrabble when I was two."

Barbara felt as if she should bow, but feared the sarcasm used on her father would be lost on the girl. It was not her fault that she was so much like Tommy. And, Barbara loved Tommy despite his hoity-toitiness, so it was not hard to fall for Henrietta's charms. "Two? That's very impressive."

"Daddy said being smarter than everyone was the best way to survive. Daddy was smart. He sometimes played Tommy-Daddy, but he didn't always win. Tommy-Daddy is smart too. They had a bottle of something horrible, and the winner got some of it. I wasn't allowed to play then, but I would watch from upstairs."

"Tommy-Daddy is very smart. If you play him, you probably won't win. He doesn't like to lose."

The girl frowned at her. "Neither do I."

Barbara smiled then looked at her tiles again. "Well, you will both thrash me."

"I'll let you win on your birthday."

"That's very generous, but it's not for months yet."

The girl rearranged her tiles. "I'm five next week."

"Next week?"

The girl nodded. "The 18th."

"Does Tommy-Daddy know?"

The girl shrugged. "Maybe. I know what I'm getting from Mummy and Daddy. It's hidden in the box in their wardrobe. I'm not supposed to know..." Henrietta looked around then beckoned Barbara closer. "Do you know about Santa?"

"What about Santa?"

The girl frowned. It seemed to be her decision-making face. "He's not real. My present is in the same box as Santa's presents. Don't tell anyone."

Barbara smiled. "I won't."

Henrietta lay down the word 'rapid'. "Do they play Scrabble in Heaven?"

Barbara wondered what word she could make from her letters using the a or i. "I know they play it in Hell." Barbara put down her P and two Ss to form pass. She had been tempted to use the i.

"Do you know someone in Hell?" The girl recoiled from Barbara. "Do you know Master?"

"No! No, I don't know Master, Henrietta. Don't be scared. I'm sorry, I was being..." Barbara inwardly kicked herself. "It doesn't matter. I was being silly."

"Oh, okay." Henrietta moved back as if nothing had happened. "Did you ever play Scrabble?"

"When?"

"When you were my age."

"Not as young as you, but yes, with my brother, Terry. He was much younger than me, but he used to beat me too."

Henrietta laughed. "Do you still play with him?"

Barbara shook her head. Henrietta did not take the hint. "Why not?"

"He... he's in Heaven too."

Henrietta paused, stopping with one tile in mid-air. "Do you talk to him?"

"Sometimes."

"Do you think he's met my Mummy and Daddy?"

"Yes, probably."

"Then Daddy can play Scrabble with him."

Barbara choked back a lump growing in her throat. "Yes. I hope so."

Henrietta put her hand on Barbara's. "Was he really old?"

Barbara frowned then shook her head. "No. He was only ten."

Henrietta looked down. "Are your Mummy and Daddy with him?"

Barbara tried to smile. "Yes."

"Don't be sad, Babra. You have Unc... Tommy-Daddy... And me."

* * *

Tommy and James watched the first three videos. They were short, heartfelt messages. It was obvious that Aidan suspected his life was in danger, but also clear he had intended to fight for it. Tommy looked up when Barbara walked over to him. She looked distraught. "What's happened?"

Barbara put up her hand. "Nothing. Henrietta fell asleep. She's four going on forty that one."

"She four going on five," Tommy told her as he took her hand and guided her into his lap. "It's her birthday next week. Aidan left a tape for her, but I think it's too soon."

Barbara shook her head. "She is smart enough to work out later that you kept it from her. I'm not sure she will forgive that very easily. I think she should see it, but you're her father."

"Don't, Barbara. These decisions have to be mutual. I know it's a lot to take on, but... you'll be her mother."

"She can read. She beat me at Scrabble. Three times."

Tommy laughed. "Yes, Aidan taught her early. He succeeded because he was intelligent, and was obsessed with ensuring Henrietta would never suffer as he did. I don't think that disqualifies you from being a good mother."

"Can I watch the tape?"

James ejected one DVD from the player and loaded another. With seconds, Aidan and Inga's faces were on the television. "Happy Birthday, Henrietta!" They smiled and waved before the camera panned onto Aidan. "So, you're five. We really, really wanted to be there with you, but it wasn't to be. If you go into our wardrobe, there is a big box behind Mummy's shoes. There is a present in there for you, and instructions for Unc Tommy for your Christmas present. We have made some videos for you to watch in the future too. It is important for you to understand that we love you very, very much and would never have left you if we had a choice." Aidan paused then leant forward closer to the camera. "Henrietta, remember when I told you that someone would always look after you? I asked Unc Tommy to do that. He is Second-Daddy, Henrietta. One day when you are older, you can watch a video Mummy and I made that explains how much we wanted you and how Unc Tommy helped us. Don't blame him for never... loving you as much as we did. He didn't know you were his daughter, but I know him. He is a good man. He will come to love you as much as we do." Aidan leant back again. "We are both fine. Don't worry about us. Go and have fun. Ask Unc Tommy to buy you some chocolate ice cream, and maybe he will take you to the zoo or somewhere exciting. And remember, we will always love you." The camera zoomed out to the couple who waved and blew kisses and kept saying they loved her.

"I love you too."

Tommy turned. "Henrietta! What are you doing up? You... weren't supposed to see that."

Henrietta walked across to the television. "Hello, Mummy, Daddy." She turned. "Can you put them back on?"

Tommy nodded, and James started the clip again. Tommy gripped Barbara's hand as they studied Henrietta. She began to answer them as if they were in the room. "I know where it is... I guessed Daddy. He looks like me and brushes his teeth the same way... Tommy-Daddy likes yummy ice cream... look out for Babra's brother. He's in heaven and he plays Scrabble." Henrietta waved at the screen then turned and climbed onto Tommy's lap. She burrowed her face between his arm and side.

Tommy did not dare try to speak fearing that his voice would squeak, so he just put his arm around her, and reached out with his other hand to Barbara. She held it in a death-grip.

"I might go," James said. "I will leave the videos with you."

"Thanks," Tommy replied, "they appear personal rather than informative."

"I will make enquiries about..." James put his hand over his face to indicate Master's mask.

Tommy shook his head. "No, that might endanger you. Leave it to us."

"As you wish, but if I hear anything, I will let you know."

"I'll see you out," Barbara offered.

James shook his head. "It's fine. The door is only over there."

Tommy watched him go then turned to Barbara. "Are you okay?"

"Yes."

Henrietta wriggled from under his arm. "Tommy-Daddy."

"What is it, Henrietta?"

"I want to go home."

"I know, but we can't. Not just yet."

"Because of... Master?"

"Because we are not sure it is safe."

"But I'm with you. You protect me."

Tommy pushed her hair behind her ear. "And this is how I do it, by making sure no one knows where you are."

Henrietta sighed. "Okay. Can I watch cartoons?"

"Sure." Tommy frowned over her head at a smirking Barbara. He was never going to understand the capriciousness of the female mind.

* * *

Tommy looked tired as he watched his daughter who was lying on her stomach with her head supported by her hands staring at the screen. Barbara took his hand. "I used to lie like that," she whispered as she tucked herself against his side.

"Me too. Parenting is harder then I thought. One minute I think she's about to collapse, and the next she has moved on as if nothing has happened."

"She's scared of this Master."

Tommy nodded. "I think she knows more about him than she is letting on."

"I thought that too. I made a careless remark about playing Scrabble in Hell, and she jumped back as if I were the Devil. Who is the Master, and what did he do to Aidan?"

Lynley shrugged. "I might get her a horse."

"What?"

"Well, a foal, one she can watch grow."

"Oh, for her birthday. She'd love that. Might be a bit awkward at Belgravia."

"I might ring Mother. See if she can arrange something. We have some foals due."

Barbara sat up. "Sure. I'll keep an eye out here."

Ten minutes later, Tommy came back. "I have chosen one from Wild Lass. Despite her name, she has a lovely disposition."

"So, will I learn on Wild Lass? I want a very old, very slow horse."

Tommy laughed. "I thought I would put you on Warden, he could have been a racehorse."

"Do you want to kill me or just frighten me?"

Tommy smiled. "Neither." He leant closer. "What I really want is to..."

The strident shrill of his phone interrupted their kiss. "Yes, Mother, what is it? Oh, sorry Stuart... Good... oh... yes, come straight over." Tommy rang off.

"Stuart?"

"Yes, they have deciphered the microchips. It's not good. Not good at all."


	9. Chapter 9

Stuart sat on the chair opposite Tommy. "Where's Barbara?"

"Playing Scrabble with Henrietta. Winston is asleep. He was up all night, so Barbara is babysitting."

Stuart nodded. "Maybe we should get Barbara and Henrietta out here."

Lynley frowned. "Why? I don't want her frightened."

Stuart smiled. "Henrietta or Barbara?"

"Hmph. My daughter. Not much scares Barbara."

"I'll be tactful, I promise. I need to see what she knows."

"Why?"

Stuart leant forward. "Henrietta is exceptionally bright."

"Yes, but..."

"Extraordinarily bright."

"That doesn't mean she is an adult. I'm stopping you if she becomes agitated." Tommy took a deep breath then stood. "She walked in earlier on tapes her parents made that we were reviewing. She didn't say anything, but when she climbed on my lap, she buried her head. Her body was shaking. She is trying very hard to appear brave or grown up, but I worry she will suffer irreparable psychological damage. It is very easy to forget she is only four."

"Henrietta is the key to this. I think she already knows what is going on."

"Knows what?"

"Let's just see."

Tommy knocked once then entered the bedroom. Henrietta was patiently explaining to Barbara how to maximise her score. Barbara looked up then wrinkled her brow in a question.

"Stuart wants to talk to all of us."

"But I'm winning," Henrietta complained.

Tommy scooped her up into the air, enjoying her whoop of excitement. "And you'll still be winning after we finish our talk."

"Hmph."

"I was going to offer to play you, but if you are going to be disrespectful then..."

"You play me? Yes, please, Tommy-Daddy."

To9mmy lowered her to the ground. "Then run ahead and say hello to Unc Stuart. We'll be there in a minute."

Barbara waited until the girl had left. "What's going on?"

"I don't know. Lafferty is painfully stubborn and won't say. If you think Henrietta is not coping, you have to speak up. I... I know I can get carried away too. You're the sensible one."

Barbara took his hand. "You're a good father."

"Not good enough." Tommy shook his head. "I have this nagging fear..."

"What?"

"That I am going to lose her."

Barbara pushed the hair up from his eye. "That's all it is, a fear. We can keep her safe."

"Promise?"

Barbara took his hand. "Promise."

Tommy sat with Henrietta on his knee. Barbara watched everyone as Stuart started by opening a file he had brought with him. He looked nervous.

"Henrietta, the information on the microchips we er... retrieved from you and... they contained a lot of numbers."

Henrietta stared warily at him. "Okay."

"They included the accounts for Daddy's business."

"Hibernicus Shoes?" Tommy asked. "A second set of books?"

"Not for Hibernicus, they are for a business registered by Aidan as The Diamond Lance."

"Really? He never mentioned that. What does it do?"

"As far as I can tell, nothing much other than run a tea room in a small village in Hampshire. It seems to be a front of some kind for the Masters of the Diamond Lance."

"The what?"

"Master? No. Tommy-Daddy," Henrietta pleaded as he tried to hop down.

Tommy hugged her closer and glared at Stuart. "I told you I didn't want Henrietta upset. It's alright, Henrietta, I won't let Master anywhere near you. I'll take you back to the bedroom."

"No," the girl shook her head stubbornly. "You said Unc Stuart needs my help."

"I do," Stuart said.

Tommy turned Henrietta's head so that she looked at him. "If you don't like anything, we can go and play Scrabble."

"That's silly, Tommy-Daddy."

"Why?"

"Because I want to play, so... you're trying to trick me." She grinned at him.

"Hmm, I see your point. But if you are upset." Henrietta nodded.

Stuart raised his eyebrow. Tommy nodded. "Hillier had Jeffreys look into it," Stuart continued. "They have a tea room in every white first world country in the world. They are usually in obscure, small hamlets."

"That makes no sense. You're saying Aidan was part of a worldwide group of poorly located tea rooms?"

"Ostensibly, but they are fronts. The one in Hampshire is run by a sweet seventy-year-old who was paid £30,000 a year to cook two fruit cakes and two sponges and serve them once a month on the last Sunday. Apparently, about 30 men would come, buy tea and a slice of cake and leave. Only Mrs McClarrerty was the daughter of a village butcher, so she missed nothing."

"The village butcher?" Barbara asked.

Tommy turned to her. "If you want to know anything about a village, ask the butcher. So what did she notice?"

"All the men were red-haired or blonde. She hadn't noticed at first but once she did... They also had an elaborate scheme for passing messages inside folded serviettes. She first discovered that when she ran out of the usual ones and used cheap ones, yet all the used ones on the plates were the good ones she hadn't used that day. So, she watched closely, and found the pattern."

"What messages?" Tommy asked suspiciously then nodded discreetly at Henrietta. "Are you saying they are a... ring?"

Stuart understood his meaning. "No. We don't believe so. All the members seem to be highly intelligent. It is a society for geniuses."

"Like Mensa?" Barbara asked.

"Hmm, not quite," Stuart said. "In Australia, they were prosecuted for running a breeding programme."

"A what?"

"A breeding programme, like pedigree dogs. They were selectively breeding out certain characteristics in their children. Like dark hair. The ideal was... well, most of them are red-haired or blonde."

Tommy gripped Henrietta tighter. "This makes no sense. If... why was Aidan abandoned as a baby and...?" he glanced at Henrietta. "He had red hair."

"We don't know, but the um... operation he had... indicates they didn't want something passed on."

"And Inga?"

Stuart shrugged. "Henrietta, do you have the code word?"

"What code word?" Tommy demanded as he tightened his arms around Henrietta. "What are you talking about?"

"Tommy-Daddy?"

"Yes?"

"Don't squeeze me so hard."

Tommy released his arms. "I'm sorry."

Henrietta leant back against him and giggled. "You're like a big bear."

Tommy saw Barbara's reaction. Her eyebrows shot up, and a huge smile developed. She had referred to him as a bear too. "A nice bear," Tommy said, "like Paddington or Yogi."

His daughter frowned. "Who's Yogi?"

"Doesn't matter. He was my favourite bear as a child. Stuart?"

"We think Henrietta's chip has the contact details for the organisation, but it is encrypted with some very sophisticated algorithms. It needs a code, or it will take the machines years to decode. Aidan's chip suggests Henrietta has the key."

Everyone looked at the girl. Tommy's worse fears were coming true. "If it says that on his, do you think it said the same on Inga's?"

Stuart nodded. "We have to assume that. Aidan's chip only showed the financials from 1923 to 1983. I assume Inga's had later years."

"1923? What is this group? I thought you said they were Nazis?"

"No, that was just speculation."

"But they are interested in eugenics and trying to create more redheads?"

Stuart nodded. "Yes."

"Why?"

"I think they are trying to create a super-intelligent race. I am not sure what the hair colour has to do with it." He turned to Henrietta. "Do you remember the code?"

Henrietta wriggled in Tommy's lap and turned to him. "I think I remember." She closed her eyes."Capital D S hash 425786190 hash little f little g capital I 208000773316357 and I think it finishes with a squiggly."

"Slow Down," Stuart said. "Say that again."

Henrietta sighed the repeated it. Stuart read it back then excused himself to phone the techs.

"How did you remember that?" Tommy asked.

"Daddy said one day I would need it."

Tommy ruffled her hair. "You are very clever."

"I know. But I have dark hair."

"Yes. Do you know anything about the Diamond Lance?"

Henrietta nodded her head. "Daddy said they were bad people. They created him."

"Created him?"

Henrietta began to shake. It started slowly, but he could feel her fear. "Is there any more ice cream left?" he asked.

"Yes." Henrietta scrambled off his knee and ran into the kitchen. She was too short to reach the freezer at the top of the fridge. "Tom-my-Dad-dy."

"She'll get fat if you keep bribing her with ice cream," Barbara said.

"It's a distraction. That's all. I won't keep doing it."

Winston emerged three hours later while Barbara, Tommy and Henrietta were watching the Lion King. Stuart had returned to his office but had promised to phone with any news. "Dinner?"

"Yes, thank you," Tommy said cheekily, "what are you cooking us?"

"Huh. No way. Not with your highfalutin tastes. Pizza?"

Tommy laughed. "Barbara won't approve."

"Why won't I? I'll have a Meaty pizza with extra cheese."

Winston laughed. "Gotta keep up your strength I guess. Sir?"

Tommy looked down his nose at Winston. His constable was having far to much fun with his relationship with Barbara. Oddly, Tommy found it hard to be annoyed. Last week he would have been furious, but love had mellowed him.

"Sir?"

"Oh, sorry. Roast pumpkin, feta, spinach, caramelised onions, pine nuts and walnuts please."

"What?"

"Roast pumpkin..."

Winston cut him short. "There's a Pizza Express down the road. You have to pick from their menu."

Barbara started to laugh. Tommy glared at her then shrugged before leaning over and kissing her. "Yes, alright. Something vegetarian please, Winston."

"But you're not vegetarian."

"Unlike Barbara, I don't like meat on my pizzas."

Winston rolled his eyes. "What about you, Henrietta?"

The girl was still staring at the screen. "I'll share Tommy-Daddy's."

"Okay."

"And Babra's."

The adults all smiled. "Right. I'll order large ones," Winston said.

Henrietta turned and lowered her eyes. "What are you having, Unc Winston?"

"A Hot American."

Henrietta screwed up her nose. "Ugh, I don't want to share yours."

"That's good because I don't want to share it either."

"Good." Henrietta hopped down from Tommy's knee and followed Winston to the door.

Barbara and Tommy had to turn away. The look on Henrietta's face was too comical. Tommy leant close. "She is my daughter isn't she?"

"Like you've been miniaturised and had a sex change."

"Oh, I assure you, my vital parts remain intact."

"Good." Barbara turned. As she did, she purposefully let her hand brush his crotch. "Hmm, damn the Diamond Lances or whoever they are."

"Too much of that and my lance will be diamond."

"Ooh, dirty talk."

"No, fact."

Despite her entreaties, followed by complaints, Henrietta was sent for a shower before bed. Barbara sat on Tommy's knee and looped her arms around his neck."Go and read to her. Or better still tell her about being an Earl. She might open up a bit more about these Masters."

"I don't want to give her nightmares, Barbara. I didn't like her hearing that today."

"Stuart's right. She knows more. I sense that, but I don't think she understands what she knows. We have to draw it out. Like it or not, she is our main witness, and we have to probe."

"You're right, but how we do that without lasting psychological damage is the issue."

"Aidan and Inga were presumably sterilised because they did not meet the standard. I think they chose you rather than harvest sperm from Aidan because you were the smartest person they knew with dark hair. I think they wanted to protect Henrietta by ensuring she did not match this red-haired, blonde-haired... fetish."

Tommy's lips tightened into a thoughtful line. "Hmm. You might be right, at least about the hair, not so much about me being intelligent."

"Really? False modesty?"

"No, Henrietta leaves me in the shade."

"In that case, I'm on the dark side of the bloody moon. How can a four-year-old beat an adult at Scrabble?"

Tommy laughed. "I still love you, regardless of your Scrabblability."

"Did you just make that word up?"

Tommy grinned and nodded. "Yes."

"I might try that with Henrietta."

"Good luck."

"Actually..."

"What?"

"I think we need to take Henrietta home in the morning. I think I know what present her parents left her."

Tommy frowned. "Okay, but we have until next week."

"Freedom."

"What?"

"They've given her freedom."


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's note:** as you know, we write these stories because people enjoy them. We do not receive payment, nor do we seek it. I only write ILM stories because I enjoyed the show, and even though my ego would like to think you read my stories because you like my writing, I know it is largely because we love the characters and hate the way the show ended. It is real to us because of the skill of the actors, primarily Nathaniel Parker and Sharon Small.

Nat is now seeking the help of his fans to help fund his new project, Annabel Lee, a short film he wants to make with his daughter. Initially, I was a bit unsure if I agreed with asking fans for money, but the more I thought about it, the more supportive I became, including financially. It is a great way to give something back for the pleasure ILM has given us, and the entertainment Nat has provided through all his work. They were paid for their acting, but we continue to enjoy re-runs for which they get no royalties. They have done hours of interviews, unpaid promotional work, and of course charity work. If you can, go to his webpage (his name dot com) and follow the link in his latest message. If nothing else, you can hear him reading the poem. So, if you can spare a few dollars - perhaps just the cost of the cup of coffee you might drink when you read here - or if spread the word through your networks, Nat would be grateful.

It is also one way of paying me back too for any enjoyment you get from my Tommy and Barbara stories. And, if he gets the funds, I will write an M-rated Xmas treat. It ends on Dec 11, so please don't delay.

* * *

Henrietta's house was a Neo-Georgian red brick mansion so typical of Mayfair. Barbara started at the outside. "It's twice the size of yours."

Tommy smiled. "I thought you were impressed with the size of mine."

"Yours is big. This is... ginormous."

"Mine is a classic."

Barbara began to laugh. "So it's old?"

"No, mine is a genuine Regency townhouse. This is a 1920s replica of..."

Barbara rolled her eyes then grinned. "You _are_ sensitive about the size."

"I am not."

"Mitty! Mitty!" Henrietta ignored the weird squabbles of the adults and ran to the door.

"The cat. I forgot about him." Tommy winced and looked pleadingly at Barbara. "Do you think...?"

"Cats are survivors. He probably killed a squirrel or a small bird."

"Barbara!"

"I was joking." She was enjoying teasing him a little too much. His vulnerability in the face of not being the richest or smartest was somehow sexy. She wanted to kiss the wounded look off his face. She took pity on him. "I sent PC Smithers over here. He has given the cat to the neighbour."

Tommy leant over and gave her a quick kiss. "How would I ever cope without you?"

She smiled. "You wouldn't. Never have."

"True."

"Tommy-Daddy, where's Mitty?"

"With your neighbour." Tommy looked at Barbara seeking clarification on which neighbour. She shrugged and smiled. He looked left then right and was saved by the door of a neighbour swinging open.

"Hello, Henrietta."

"Hello, Mrs Gilchrist. Have you seen Mitty?"

"Yes, dear. He's in my backyard."

Henrietta grabbed Barbara's hand. The child looked at the kindly old lady suspiciously. "Is Mitty... dead?"

The elderly lady with the smart turquoise twin-set and grey skirt had been smiling, but now her face fell along with her middle-class reserve. "No, he's fine. I put a box out for him, and he's sitting in the sun."

"Mitty likes boxes. Daddy used to call them his cat trap." Henrietta shook off Barbara's hand and stepped towards the older woman. "Come on, Babra, come and meet Mitty."

Barbara took one look at Mitty and almost laughed. He was a doppelgänger for Grumpy Cat. Spooky light eyes set within a mask of black stared at her. The cat seemed to judge Barbara as it looked down its long white nose. It found her wanting and flicked one of its black ears in disdain.

"Mitty doesn't like me," Barbara announced.

"Nonsense," Tommy said. "Hello, Mitty."

In contrast, Mitty almost smiled at His Lordship, and when he tickled it under the ear, it began to purr so loudly that its body shook.

"Told you. He loves you."

"Animals are astute judges of character. He senses you don't like him."

"He's right. And to think I'm the one who thought about you, you mangy..."

"Mitty's not mangy," Henrietta said.

"Sorry... it's a... term."

Henrietta shook her head precisely the way Tommy often did then handed Mitty to Barbara and took her father's hand. "We should go in, Tommy-Daddy. I need to say goodbye."

Barbara sighed as she clutched the cat around its neck. There was something heavy on its collar. She turned to examine it. "Tommy."

"Mmm?"

"Mitty has a capsule on his collar with your name on it."

"What? Show me."

Barbara held the cat out but much to her annoyance, Tommy only undid the blue collar and examined it.

"What's that Tommy-Daddy?"

"I don't know. Did Mitty have this collar before?"

The girl shook her head. "No, he had a green one. Daddy flead him before we went away."

"Looks like he put a new collar on him too. Let's get inside and have a look."

* * *

Tommy was worried that Henrietta would find the house distressing, or else refuse to leave. She ran up the stairs to her bedroom. Tommy followed and watched her search her room. "What are you looking for?"

The girl shrugged. "Just checking it was the same. Can I fetch my present?"

Tommy felt Barbara's hand slip inside his palm. He squeezed gently. "Yes, Henrietta."

They followed her into Aidan and Inga's bedroom. A series of mismatched white frames adorned one wall, all filled with photos of their family. Tommy noticed one with him holding Henrietta when she was a baby. He did not remember it being taken, but he was pleased to see it. It reinforced he had been in her life from the start.

Henrietta disappeared into the cavernous walk-in wardrobe. "In here."

"Okay," he called. He turned to Barbara. "Can you supervise while I try to open this... thing?"

"Sure." Barbara put the cat on the floor. It slinked off in a huff.

Tommy sat on the chair underneath the window. Unlike his house, all the furniture was modern and minimalist. With clean lines and bold colour schemes, it was not to his taste, but it did suit the personalities of his friends. He studied the small grey cylinder as he turned it over in his hands. It was heavy and appeared solid but did not seem metallic. Apart from his name expertly engraved on the side, there were no joints or lines. He tried screwing, pushing, pulling, rotating and swearing at it, but the cylinder did not budge. Just as he thought he had a solution, his phone rang. "Lynley."

"Stuart here. The code wasn't right, so I'm afraid we are no closer to deciphering the chip. It was a long shot expecting a child to know."

Tommy frowned. "Yes, although she was so certain. Never mind. Keep trying, and thanks."

Henrietta returned with a parcel that her arms could only just hold and sat on the floor at his feet. "Look Tommy-Daddy."

"What do you have there?"

"My present. Do I have to wait until next week?"

"No. You have special dispensation to open it."

"What's that?"

"Dispensation? Er, like an exemption from the rule that says you should wait."

"How do spell it?"

"Oh, um, D-I-S-P-E-N-S-A-T-I-O-N."

"Okay, that's only 14. Not worth the tiles."

Tommy smiled at Barbara who was standing behind his daughter shaking her head. "Go on, open it." He was intrigued that Barbara was so certain what it contained, and frustrated that she would not tell him. But he would be able to tell if she was pretending. Henrietta painstakingly removed the sellotape. Inside was a black box about the size of an A3 ream of paper.

"Oooo," Henrietta said looking inside. "It's a laptop." She looked at the sky and smiled. "Thank you, Mummy. Thank you, Daddy."

"Turn it on," Barbara said encouragingly. Tommy could see from her slightly smug grin that she had guessed correctly.

Henrietta let out a frustrated groan. "It has a password, and I don't know it."

Barbara knelt down beside her. "Try the one you gave Unc Stuart."

"Okay." Henrietta's fingers flew skilfully over the keyboard. "Oh, Babra, you are clever."

"Come up here and let's see what you have."

Henrietta scrambled up onto his knee. It was a sensation Tommy knew he would never tire of feeling. Every minute, Henrietta seemed to get more precious too him. Barbara sat beside them. "Look," Henrietta exclaimed, "it has games and music and oh..."

"What?"

Henrietta pointed to the screen. "There's a video called For Unc Tommy."

"Oh?" Tommy and Barbara looked at each other.

Henrietta looked up at both of them. "Do I have to go to my room?"

Tommy wrapped his arm around her waist. "No, but if you want to, you may."

She shook her head. "No."

"Let's see what he has to say."

Henrietta's fingers shook as she opened the video. She pressed back against Tommy and took Barbara's hand as her father appeared."

"Tommy, thank you. I know this is all a shock and you are probably angry and confused about my secrecy and lies. I get that and know you will understand that I did what I had to do. Keep Henrietta safe. I know you will and that is the most important thing to me. I adored her, and I am sure you do too." Tommy kissed the top of the child's head as Aidan continued. "Tommy, the key to all this is on the Mitty's collar. There is a sealed tube that contains the three DNA sequences for the Gifted Ones. Inga and I were born as part of the programme. Our DNA was extracted at birth, and then we were neutered to ensure we did not breed with ordinary folk and dilute the species. Yes, the Masters of the Diamond Lance have understood the role of DNA for decades. They are far more advanced than modern science. Huh, isn't that term a joke. We have been in danger since my Master stole a DNA sample from Henrietta and found she had Gifted One DNA. So I stole the sequencing. I also took the account records which you can use to trace the members. The code word is 'Tommy Lynley's daughter' followed by our house phone number from Eton. Use the spaces and punctuation you would if you wrote it. Take the cylinder to Copenhagen. In Central Station there is a bookstall. Go there and ask for the limited edition of Vanity Fair. You will be asked to pay exactly four times the price on the sticker. That is how you will know it id the correct book. Henrietta will be able to decipher my next instruction hidden in there. Take care. Look after our darling daughter and remind her everyday that we loved her. This video only opens once, so if you are unclear, replay it now. Good luck, Tommy. I know you can fix my mess."

"Am I the reason Daddy is dead?"

Tommy hugged his daughter close. "No. It is not your fault. It is the horrible men who want to engineer society to their ends."

"Huh?"

"It's not your fault, Henrietta. Never think that."

"Okay." She hopped down and went to the door.

"Where are you going?"

"Copenhagen. It'll be cold. I need my coat."


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's note:** sorry for the delay. I have been distracted by a week of surreal events.

Thanks to all of you who have contributed to Nat's short film project. He will be truly grateful. Having secured the base target, the team is now hoping to raise the funds for extra equipment and special effects to bring their dream to the screen. So, if you had thought about donating but haven't yet, do it. Even a few dollars helps, but for a relatively small price, you can get a personalised photo in time for Christmas (mail services willing).

* * *

Tommy had watched with amusement as Henrietta had negotiated international travel as if she were simply catching a bus to school. She had told him where her passport was kept and had packed her bag before Tommy had finished talking to James about getting documentation to ensure Immigration officials did not stop them in the belief he was kidnapping a child.

Now, as they waited at the baggage carousel at Copenhagen Airport for their bags, she held his hand firmly. Every time a blonde man walked by she squeezed a little harder. Tommy bent down and picked her up. "Why don't you keep an eye on Babra while I find our bags? She doesn't travel much, so she's a bit scared of all this."

"Okay."

Tommy handed her to Barbara. "Henrietta is going to look after you while I find our bags."

Barbara nodded. "Thank you, Henrietta. I've never been to Copenhagen before. Have you?"

"I think so."

"Good, well you can show me where to go."

The girl shook her head. "No, Babra, we have to stay right here. Otherwise, Tommy-Daddy won't know where we are."

"Oh, I hadn't thought of that. Yes. We'll stay right here."

Tommy watched as Henrietta draped her head over her shoulder and Barbara held her tightly. He was pleased they were bonding. "Thank you," he mouthed silently before moving with the tide of passengers towards the belt as bags began to tumble down the baggage chute.

Henrietta's small designer bag appeared first, followed by his leather holdall. He became concerned as most of the other passengers collected their bags and only three or four people still stood staring anxiously at the belt. Finally, Barbara's well-worn blue rucksack appeared. He lifted it by one strap. It fell back onto the belt with a thump, leaving him holding up the frayed cord. He looked guiltily at Barbara and shrugged. She rolled her eyes and shook her head, but he could see she was trying very hard not to laugh.

When he looked back at the belt, the rucksack was about to disappear into the back loading area. Tilted awkwardly, the bag waivered as if would tip off the belt. He raced after it, hoping to catch it before it was swallowed by the dark hole. He reached down and pulled at it. The bag hesitated as if it knew he was not it's owner, before it gave in. Tommy stumbled backwards, one hand in the bag and the other motioning in the air as he fought for his balance. He steadied himself but the weight of the bag was too much for the clip. Tommy closed his eyes and cursed as he heard the unmistakable rip of nylon. He opened one eye to see Barbara's underwear fall at his feet and her loose toiletries skid across the tiles.

"Nice one. Thanks."

"You need a new bag."

His lover glared at him. Her nostrils flared slightly as she took an audible breath. "No sh... you think, Sherlock?"

Barbara bent down, and Henrietta scrambled around him as they gathered up her dignity. The girl held up a bra to Tommy. "You're in big trouble, Tommy-Daddy."

"I know." Tommy snatched the item as politely as he could. With nowhere else to put it, he shoved it into his pocket. A lady in a chic rose suit and unbelievably high heels for a woman clearly over seventy, tutted as she stepped around Barbara's panties.

Even though he was in her bad books, he smiled softly as his lover continued to grumble under her breath as she shoved everything back into the ancient rucksack. She scooped the bag into her arms. "You can take your bag," she said to Tommy. "And make sure Henrietta has hers. Where do we go?"

* * *

Barbara thought that their apartment was charming. Built within an old 18th-century warehouse on the waterfront near the inner harbour, it's maritime theme capitalised on its history. Heavy timber beams formed sturdy rafters, each one joined to the others with a single long black rod secured by enormous bolts. The low ceilings, shiny white walls and blonde, ventilated wooden furniture gave the illusion of being on the gundeck of an old man'o'war. She sniffed the air expecting to catch the scent of cordite.

Tommy crinkled his brow. "What can you smell?"

"Nothing. I was checking for gunpowder."

"Gunpowder?"

"Yeah, sorry, I... this reminds me of HMS Victory at Portsmouth."

Tommy raised one eyebrow then grinned at her. "Well, hopefully, no battles will be fought here."

Henrietta bounced into the room, returning from her exploration of the small apartment. "There's only one bed. Where do I sleep?"

Tommy looked at Barbara. Like her, he had assumed she would continue to stay with them. "Er, you can stay with us, but there is a bed here." Tommy opened one of the two small cupboards against the wall. "Behold, a foldout bed."

"Oh! Show me, Tommy-Daddy."

Barbara watched as he indulged his daughter by pulling out the bed and showing her how it worked. Henrietta had his pride, and clearly wanted them to think of her as more mature than four, yet she remained childlike in other ways. It was a product of her intellectual age being so much more than her physical and emotional ages, and Barbara would have to be careful to ensure she and Tommy did not forget how vulnerable she was underneath that stiff up lip exterior.

Tommy folded the bed back into the cupboard. "Right, who's hungry?"

"Me," Henrietta said.

"Good, me too. What should we get?" He turned to Barbara. "What about some rye bread topped with herring?"

"Pass. What about we find a place and then decide? The Danes like potatoes. They must do chips."

"Ah, now Belgium is the place for chips."

"Tommy-Daddy?"

He knelt down. "Yes?"

"We have to buy Sanity Fair."

"Huh? Oh, Vanity Fair. Yes, of course, but aren't you hungry first?"

"We could have ice cream on the way," the child said with the manipulative innocence only children could get away with.

"You are obsessed with ice cream, young lady."

The girl paused in thought then nodded. "Yes," she agreed with a smile that lit up her face.

Tommy ruffled her hair. "What about I take you to Tivoli Gardens after we buy the book? They are opposite Central Railway Station and... they have ice cream."

Henrietta looked down and shook her head. "No. We have to read the book first. For Daddy." Her earlier exuberance vanished.

Tommy glanced at Barbara who nodded. "Of course, but we could do that there. They have rides and fun things to do too. So, we could have ice cream then plan what we want to do on a trip back there after we read the book."

Henrietta walked to the window and looked out over the harbour. Her face was barely above the high ledge. Barbara watched Tommy watching his daughter. He was trying so hard to do the right thing and took every counterargument from Henrietta as a sign he was failing as a father. The opposite was true.

"That's an excellent idea," Barbara said. "So how do we get to the station? Walk?"

"No, it's about half an hour to walk." Tommy jerked his head toward the window. "I thought little legs might need a cab."

"Ok, I'll get my coat. They might sell luggage at the station. I can buy another rucksack."

"No, let me buy you a new one. A proper bag. One that won't rot in my hand."

Barbara gave him a wicked smile. "If you're paying, I should buy the best we can find."

"Of course."

"But I don't want that. I want a comfortable, reliable one like my old one."

"Reliable? You saw it disintegrate."

"It's fifteen years old. One like it will be perfect thanks."

"I won't convince you, will I?"

She pursed her lips as if considering it then smiled. "No."

"Not even I take you to their finest department store and hand over my credit card?"

Barbara felt her face begin to colour. "Most definitely not." She leant closer. "I want your body, not your money."

"You are welcome to both. At any time."

Barbara came closer so that Tommy could kiss her. He took the hint, but instead of a loving short kiss, he wrapped his arms around her and tried to kiss her passionately. Her mouth gave in even though her mind was protesting. It did not seem right to be quite so open in front of Henrietta. She gently pushed Tommy away. "Henrietta... we should be less... amorous."

"Sorry."

Tommy released her but kept his arm around her shoulder. They both turned to the window. Henrietta was staring across the river towards Copenhagen's sleek Opera House. The harsh modern lines of the roof and the limestone, glass and metal front gave it a sense of solidity. It seemed to float mysteriously on an island divorced from the traditional low-rise warehouses beyond. Barbara walked over and knelt beside Henrietta. "What are you watching?"

"Those buildings," the child replied, pointing to the warehouses. "Do people live there too?"

"Probably. There are flowers on some of the windows."

"Why do things change?"

Barbara looked up at Tommy who had joined them at the window. "How do I answer that?" she asked him in one of their silent exchanges.

Tommy knelt down on the other side of Henrietta. "Change is a part of life. If things stayed the same, we would never learn or grow. If you hadn't learnt to read, you wouldn't be able to beat Babra as Scrabble, so not all change is bad."

"I guess."

"But won't thing won't ever change, Henrietta. Babra and I will never stop loving you, just as Mummy and Daddy's love goes on."

Henrietta looked up and smiled at her father. "You love me? Already? Daddy said in time..."

"Yes, I do. Daddy thought I would be angry about not being told about you. I'm not. And yes, I love you as much as if I had known you were my child from the day you were born."

"I think I love you too, Tommy-Daddy."

Barbara sniffed back tears as she watched father and daughter embrace. His arm came around her and pulled her into the circle.

* * *

"There, Tommy-Daddy. That's a bookshop." Henrietta dragged on his arm to pull him towards the store which was tucked into a corner of the cavernous station concourse.

The station reminded Tommy of many large late-19th-Century stations across Europe. Built of heavy red-brown bricks over an arching iron frame, the hall was lit by a peaked line of dirty glass skylights and checkerboard glass panels in 20-foot high curved windows. Dusty chandeliers hung low on long cords. Adorned with small crowns, they looked as if they would be more suited to a medieval banqueting hall then a modern railway terminus.

"Yes, I see." They approached the bookstall cautiously. Tommy and Barbara were aware that they may be under surveillance. They had agreed she would stay near the entrance to the open shop, while he and Henrietta bought the book. He nodded and took Henrietta's hand. "Do you remember what to ask for?"

"Yes. May I buy your limited edition copy of Vanity Fair?"

"Very good."

The bookseller was an older man with a stoop from years of bending over with heavy books. Henrietta walked up to him and cleared her throat. "May I buy your limited edition copy of Vanity Fair?"

"Vanity Fair? By William Makepeace Thackeray?"

Henrietta looked up at her father. He nodded. "Yes please," she replied with an air of self-assurance that bordered on arrogance. Tommy was beginning to see why Barbara considered him a ponce at times. Still, with Barbara as her step-mother, young Henrietta would soon have that knocked out of her.

The bookseller looked her up and down. "It's a very special book."

"I know," Henrietta replied.

The man shrugged then disappeared behind a counter. When he re-emerged, he held a well-worn red leather book. Frayed board showed through at the corners where time and readers had worn away the leather. The man blew the dust off the pages and then wiped his sleeve across the cover. "The price is 600 Krone, but for you, I will do a special price of 2400 Krone."

"Thank you."

The bookseller looked at Tommy. "We will take it," Tommy confirmed.

"Very well." The man found a small paper bag and inserted the book.

Tommy went to pull out his wallet but felt soft cloth over it. He groaned. The was no way to extract his wallet without removing it. He pulled out Barbara's bra and quickly transferred it to his other hand while he fished out his wallet. He tried to ignore the slight upward movement of the bookseller's eyebrow as he began to wedge the item back into his pocket. Beside him, Henrietta began to giggle.

"Right," Tommy said trying to refocus everyone on the transaction, "so one, two..." Henrietta tugged at his hand. "Just a minute until I pay the man."

"But..." Henrietta dissolved in a fit of giggling again.

Tommy ignored her and finished paying. "Thank you."

The bookseller smiled. "And thank you, Henrietta."

Tommy and the girl looked at him. "How...?" Tommy began.

"Aidan left it with me until you came. I am sorry about what happened."

"Do we...?"

"No. I know nothing more. You should go."

Tommy nodded. "Thank you again."

"Thank you," Henrietta echoed.

They walked outside. Barbara was waiting over by one of the global fast food outlets. Tommy hoped she did not want to eat there. She took one look at him and began to smile. She tried to hide it, which only made it worse. Tommy stood in front of her and opened his hands in question. "What?"

Barbara took Henrietta's hand. They both started to giggle again. "You have a tail."

Tommy looked down. Trailing from his right pocket was a black lace bra. He snatched it but the hook caught on the edge of his belt. "Rrrr." He pulled it again and it came free. He held it out to her. "Yours I believe."

"Ta." Barbara shoved it into her bag.

It was Tommy's turn to grin. "Come on. I need ice cream."


	12. Chapter 12

Tommy bought multi-entry tickets to Tivoli Gardens as he was sure they would be back. Henrietta provided the perfect excuse to indulge in some escapist fun, and he knew Barbara was a child at heart. He looked across at her bending down to adjust Henrietta's coat. She seemed to sense his gaze and turned her head towards him. Their eyes locked and she gave him the most wonderful smile. Despite the dangers of the Masters, she was happy. He could never remember seeing her so at ease with herself. He was partially responsible, and he relished that because she had done the same for him.

He walked over. "Ready? I thought we could eat then take a stroll."

"Great. We could..."

Barbara was interrupted by Tommy's phone. He dug it from his pocket and looked at the screen. "Stuart."

Barbara nodded. "We'll wait over there," she said pointing to a tree where people were standing to watch the antique wooden roller coaster.

Tommy nodded then unlocked his phone. "Stuart. What did you learn?"

"Too much. That code worked. There are over 2,000 names of current members. Some of them are influential members of world governments, the judiciary, the medical profession, and especially business. This organisation is frightening."

"I expected that. Any in the Met?"

"Strange you should ask. Yes, a deputy commissioner."

"Who?"

Tommy winced when he heard the name. The tall blonde man matched the profile. "Tell Hillier, but under no circumstances should anyone else know you have cracked this."

"What if they are tracing your calls."

"Then they already know."

"Any progress your end?"

"Not yet." Tommy hated deceiving Stuart, but it might buy them time. He was certain they were being monitored in some way. The Masters would not strike until they were sure that Aidan had not left any information that might incriminate them anywhere else. He glanced around. There were blonde men everywhere, which was to be expected in Denmark. Any or none of them could be following them.

"Okay. Well, stay in touch. Meanwhile, I will talk to Hillier."

"Thanks, Stuart."

Tommy walked over to the others. "Hungry?"

"Yes, Tommy-Daddy."

"There is an Italian restaurant near the lake. It is supposed to have excellent pizza and gelato."

Barbara and Henrietta started walking in the direction Tommy had indicated. He shook his head as they headed off on their quest for food weaving through the oncoming crowd with the determination of salmon heading upriver to spawn. In three strides he caught up to them. He picked Henrietta up and lifted her onto his shoulders. She let out a little squeal and grabbed his ears.

"Hey, that hurts. I can see I am going to have to teach you how to ride or my ears will be torn from my head." Henrietta chuckled away at a private joke. Tommy looked up. "Something funny?"

"They might stretch so you look like a rabbit."

Tommy shook his head. His daughter was having a four-year-old moment.

* * *

Henrietta stared at the array of ice cream and gelato displayed in the freezer. "I can't decide between the chocolates."

Tommy understood her dilemma. "What if we buy a big bowl with all four? Then we can see which ones are best."

"What about Babra? She wanted salted caramel."

"We can buy her a bowl of that."

Henrietta shook her head. "No, Tommy-Daddy, then she'll feel left out."

Tommy stroked his daughter's hair. She kept surprising him. "Of course. You're right. We will have hers added to our bowl."

"Okay. All the chocolates."

Tommy managed a few mouthfuls between the duelling spoons of his two girls. Despite her preference for chocolate, Henrietta had happily helped with the salted caramel, just as Barbara had devoured half the chocolate.

Tommy put his spoon down and sat back rubbing his stomach. "At this rate, we will need to start running marathons or we will look like blimps."

Henrietta giggled. "Oh, Tommy-Daddy."

"What's so funny? We will."

"We can't float in the sky."

"Yes, we can. See that big Ferris wheel over there? We can go up in that and float above everyone."

Henrietta rolled her eyes then looked at Barbara. "Yes, Tommy-Daddy is being silly," Barbara said as she grinned at him.

Henrietta sighed impatiently as the adults took a moment to share a kiss. As they both smiled the kiss became impossible to maintain, but Tommy knew Barbara understood that he was happy to have his new instant family.

"Tommy-Daddy?"

"Yes?" He looked over to see Henrietta thumbing through Vanity Fair.

"I need some paper."

"Ah..." He looked at Barbara. "Should we go back to the apartment?"

Barbara shook her head and opened her bag. "Will this do?" She pulled out a small notebook and a pen.

"Yes. Thank you, Babra." Henrietta began to look at the book. Tommy smiled at her earnest attention to the task. Then she looked up and frowned. "Don't watch me. I have to find the pages and letters. Kiss Babra or something."

Tommy and Barbara both laughed. "If she'll let me."

Barbara tilted her head as if thinking. "Hmmm, I might."

This time neither of them smiled. Their kiss was light but full of love and meaning. They ignored Henrietta's sigh as if she had not really meant for them to do it and was now embarrassed that her adults were kissing in public. They stopped kissing but stayed huddled together. With their elbows on the table in complete violation of the manners instilled into him as a child, Tommy's hands encased Barbara's hand. Her other hand wrapped around his as he pulled their hand closer and gave her fingers a soft kiss.

"You will have to go to church," Henrietta announced.

"To confess our sins?" Barbara asked.

"Have you been naughty, Babra?"

She looked guiltily at Tommy. "Very."

Henrietta giggled. "With Tommy-Daddy?"

"Um... Yes."

"Then you can't be bad. Tommy-Daddy is a good man."

Tommy looked at the child. "Thank you, Henrietta. Then why dowe need to go to church? Do you think Babra and I should get married?"

Henrietta looked up and nodded. "Yes. Can I be your best girl?"

"Um..." Barbara's face would have rivalled Rudolph's nose at Christmas. "Yes, but... no... um..."

Tommy laughed. "We have plenty of time for that. Right now we need to resolve our... other dilemma."

Henrietta gave him a look of utter exasperation. "We have to go to the church."

"Which church?"

Henrietta picked up the book and waved it in the air. "Daddy says, Saint All Brans."

"Saint All Brans? Are you sure? How do you spell it?"

"S.A.I.N.T.S.A.L.B... oh... there's no R. My mistake. Saint All-Bans."

"Does it say anything else? Does it give an address?"

"We have to go to the third pew on the left. At the end near the tumbling water, we will find peace."

"Why can't your lot speak in plain English?" Barbara said. Her frustration and remaining embarrassment at mistaking the girl's meaning was clear.

Tommy ran his hand slowly through his hair. "Are you sure he doesn't mention anything else, Henrietta? A town, or what type of church?"

The girl shook her head. "Only CE. Does that mean anything?"

"Church of England?" Barbara asked.

"Probably. That will help narrow it. But there must be tens, if not hundreds of St Albans' churches."

Barbara bit her lip thoughtfully. "Is it weird to think there'd be one here?"

"In Denmark? They are mostly Lutherans."

"Even so... why bring us here to collect a book to then go home again. Surely he knew booksellers in England?"

"That is logical."

Henrietta tugged at his sleeve. "Google it."

Tommy looked at his daughter. "What?"

"Google it, Tommy-Daddy. The internet knows everything."

Tommy smiled then ruffled her hair. "Yes, sometimes we adults over complicate things."

Henrietta sighed. "I know."

Barbara pulled a map from her bag. "We could check on this first in case the phones are monitored."

Tommy crowded next to her over the map. "You look on the right. I'll look on the left."

A minute or two later, Barbara elbowed him in the ribs. "Got it! St Albans Anglican Church. It's here near the funny starry thing."

Tommy looked. "The Kastellet. That's a Danish fort complex."

"Well, they must have had a lot of time on their hands to make it so attractive. How do we get there? And what do we look for?"

"We'll take a cab, but I have no idea what to look for."

* * *

"It looks like it was picked up from England and plonked here," Barbara said as she stepped from the cab.

The surprisingly large church was Early English in style. Made of grey flint dressed with white limestone, and capped with brindled tiles, the building was dominated by its steeple. The spire stretched high above them. Barbara craned her neck to see it.

"It's in a beautiful spot," Tommy said.

Barbara looked beyond the church to the wide moat of the Kastellet. Rich, neatly mown grass covered the distant rampart. The deep emerald, and the dark blue of the moat, added to the sense of Englishness. It was only when Barbara looked to the right, past the end of the church, that it was apparent that they were on the Continent. The Geifon Fountain, filled with mythical beasts of antiquity, was surrounded by people. In the few seconds that she stood waiting for Tommy to pay the cab, three buses disgorged camera-clicking tourists.

The entrance to the church was through a door at the base of the steeple tower. Inside, the church was equally as English. Lined with mottled white limestone, it featured the characteristic Gothic arches, lancet windows and ornately carved limestone chancel. Barbara's attention was drawn to the dark curved timbers of the roof from which hung medieval metal chandeliers that swayed gently in the breeze created when they opened the door.

Henrietta stormed down the aisle to the front pew, then walked back two and disappeared along to the end. "A girl on a mission," Barbara remarked.

Tommy nodded, then followed Barbara as they walked towards her. The girl was under the pew searching around. "Nothing," she said as walked around behind it.

"What represnts peace?" Tommy asked.

Barbara moved closer. "Asking me or talking to yourself?"

He shrugged. "Both?"

"There's nothing here!"

Barbara looked at Tommy. For a second, she had expected Henriatta to stamp her foot. "Sit down, and let's think about this."

Henrietta scrambled onto the pew beside her. "We have to find peace."

"Maybe we have to pray?" Barbara suggested.

"I don't think He is going to provide instant answers," Tommy replied.

Henrietta grabbed her father's arm and pointed. "Master!"

Barbara followed their gaze. The girl was pointing to a small bust on the wall built into a memorial for a minor British royal. "Him?"

The girl nodded and clung yo her father. "He... yes, just like him."

Tommy stood. he picked Henrietta up and walked closer to the memorial. He studied it closely for a few seconds. "This is it. Well done, Henrietta."

The girl moved cautiously towards it and traced the letters with her fingers. "Look, the first letter of each line spells peace."

"You're right." Tommy looked at his daughter with such pride that Barbara had to choke back her tears.

"Daddy left me another code."

Barbara walked up to them. "Can you solve it?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

The girl raised one eyebrow then swept the lock of hair from her eye. "Of course, Babra. It's just a column cipher. Have you still got your pen?"


	13. Chapter 13

Author's note: sorry, this really is dragging out, isn't it?

* * *

Tommy watched his daughter closely as she copied the inscription then re-arranged the letters into columns. Despite her self-assuredness, he knew she was worried that she had made a mistake.

"Is something wrong?"

She handed I'm the page. "This is what it should be, but it doesn't make any words."

Tommy and Barbara examined the page. She read it out slowly. "D.B. Kongens ZDG-ATBW-IJYR. T.L. and H.H.L. Does that mean anything?"

Her father nodded. "I think so." He turned to Barbara. "Where's your map?"

"Here." Barbara dug around in her bag and pulled it out.

Tommy laid it on the pew. "I thought so. Kongens is a district here. Part of the city. See."

"So, DB is in Kongens. Any idea?"

He shook his head. "Scan the map. See if anything jumps out."

Barbara spotted it almost instantly. "Danske Bank. D.B. See," she said stabbing the map with her finger, "here."

"Excellent. What about the rest?"

"T.L. Thomas Lynley, perhaps?" Barbara looked at Henrietta. "And H.H.L might be Henrietta Hibernicus Lynley."

"Tommy-Daddy?"

"Yes?" He looked down at his daughter who was twisting her head looking at him then Barbara then back.

"Am I a Lynley now?"

"Well..." This was not a conversation he wanted in the middle of a church when they were racing to solve the cipher before the Masters acted. "Only if you want to be. We can talk about it later."

"It's a bank account. In both your names," Barbara declared. Tommy and Henrietta both jumped.

"Oh, a double code!" Henrietta grabbed the notepad and hurriedly. "There you are. Numbers, not letters."

Tommy reviewed them. It made sense. "Right we have to get to the bank."

* * *

Tommy always carried his passport with him when travelling, so pulled it and Henrietta's from his inside coat pocket before the clerk at the Customer Service desk could ask. He was relying on Henrietta's similarity to him to overcome the absence of the Lynley name on her passport, but he had the solicitor's letter of explanation that he had used for Immigration in reserve. The fewer people who knew the circumstances, the better. The man was polite, efficient and with dark hair, someone Tommy felt was not a direct threat.

"If you care to wait here, Sir, we will arrange access to your safety deposit box. Do you have the authentication factor?"

Tommy smiled. He should have realised it would be a safety deposit box and not an account. "Yes," he lied, hoping that it would be obvious when he saw what form it took.

Barbara sat next to him and he lifted Henrietta onto his knee. "So far so good," he said with far more confidence than he felt.

"What _is_ the authentication factor?" Barbara asked.

"I have no idea. I am hoping it becomes apparent."

"Daddy's password from my PC," Henrietta said. "If he didn't give it to you, I must know it."

Tommy smiled. "That is logical. You are extremely smart, young lady."

"They're smarter," she said sadly, "they have two smart parents."

Tommy felt the barb pierce his heart. Barbara's hand closed over his and he knew his face must have betrayed his hurt. He tried to grunt nonchalantly.

Henrietta looked aghast. "Don't be upset, Tommy-Daddy. I didn't mean it like that."

He pulled his daughter closer. "I know. I'm not upset."

Barbara leant closer to the child. Tommy saw in her eyes a steely anger that he had never seen her display towards children. He could see her primary loyalty was still to him, and her love instantly healed any hurt. "Intelligence is one thing," she said to Henrietta, "but working with your father for so long, I know that intelligence can be overrated." She looked quickly at Tommy and gave him a quick, cheeky grin. "You also need street-smarts. That way you see things from all angles. I have that, your father has a wonderful combination of intelligence and compassion, and you are a precocious... genius. We can beat them if we work together, Henrietta. You can feel safe with us... even if we have inferior DNA."

Henrietta reached her arms out to Barbara, who took her from Tommy's lap and held her tight. The girl buried her face against Barbara's shoulder. Tommy wondered what had just happened. His loyal sergeant had been in full Havers-with-a-chip-on-her-shoulders-mode, and yet had made both he and Henrietta trust her implicitly. He gave his lover a grateful smile.

* * *

"Mr Lynley, the manager is ready for you."

"Thank you. After you, ladies."

Barbara frowned but stood and followed the manager. Henrietta was hanging on as if she would never let go, and Tommy had his hand in her back, whether as a guide or reassurance, she could not tell. She wondered what might happen if they did not have the authenticating factor.

"Mr Lynley if you care to go first." The man indicated that Tommy should sit on a chair facing a machine that looked like it belonged in her optometrist's office, not a bank.

A tall but thickset man entered from another door. Barbara was relieved that he3 also had dark hair. "Lord Asherton," the man said as he extended his hand, "I am sorry if Jurgen failed to acknowledge your rank. I am Clemens Christiansen."

Barbara watched Tommy smile and adopt his Asherton demeanour as he greeted the man and shook his hand. It was subtly different to his Inspector Lynley bearing and vastly different to his tender Tommy personality. She was beginning to understand why he needed different masks. It was because of what others expected of him. She was so deep in thought that she almost missed his introduction. With an arm full of an unusually quiet and shy Henrietta, she nodded politely rather than shake hands.

"Your daughter looks tired," Clemens said, "this should not take long. If you care to scan your eye, Lord Asherton. Mr Hibernicus specified your right one I believe."

From the way Tommy's eyebrow crinkled imperceptibly to anyone but her, she could tell he was pondering the same question as her. How did Aidan get a retinal scan of his eye? The machine buzzed then whirred at high speed before giving a loud beep.

"Thank you. Excellent." The man produced a tablet and handed it to Tommy. "And now if you could enter the authentication factor."

Tommy studied the screen then walked towards them. "Henrietta, would you enter the password please?"

Barbara lowered the girl to the ground. Tommy knelt down and held the tablet while she studied the screen. She frowned. "The number of spaces isn't the same."

Tommy put his arm around her. "That's okay."

"No, it's not. I'm supposed to know, aren't I? Daddy expected me to help you."

Barbara sensed that Henrietta was about to break down. She had tried to be so strong and grown up, but now, faced with failure, the girl looked like any four-year-olds who was overtired. Barbara knelt on the other side of her. "Close your eyes, and picture Daddy. Don't think. Just picture him."

Henrietta clamped her eyes shut. Her body was rigid, but as she stood there, it relaxed. She swayed a little, and Tommy put his hand up to support her. After several seconds, the girl smiled. "Ok, Daddy. Bye."

Tommy frowned at Barbara. She shook her head. Explanations could wait. Henrietta grabbed the tablet, closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then opened them. her fingers flew over the screen. The tablet beeped and Clemens leant down and took it from her. "Thank you, Henrietta, your father would have been very proud of you. Er, um, your other father," he stammered as his ears turned red when he looked at Tommy.

"He would, and so am I. Well done," Tommy said as he picked her up. "Now let's find out what he has left us."

* * *

The bankers left them alone after they had been escorted to the security box room. It reminded Tommy of a large post office filled with private letterboxes. Row upon row of silver-faced numbered cubicles stretched down a room the size of the average English house. Each one had a blinking red light in the top corner. Tommy scanned the legend at the entrance. "Row three, line seven, box 1962." He walked to the correct row then walked along slowly looking for the number. "Here, this one."

He held up the two keys he had been given then inserted them and turned them simultaneously to the right. A light on the door turned solid green and there was an audible clank as the tumbler fell away. The door swung open.

"Well?" Barbara asked.

"I don't know. There's only a... shoe." Tommy pulled it out. It looked like a standard running shoe made from a soft grey cloth with a black rubber sole. "What on earth?"

Henrietta giggled. "Silly Tommy-Daddy. That's a Rock Hopper."

"Is there another one?" Barbara asked as she nudged him aside and peered into the bank box. It was empty. "With one shoe, now I know why they are called Rock Hoppers."

Tommy stared at her, his frown deepening before he started to shake his head. "Did you just make a joke about this?"

She shrugged. "Yeah, I couldn't think of anything else to say right at the moment." She nodded towards Henrietta.

"Hmm, very tempting," Tommy agreed. He was also tempted to swear. He turned to his daughter. "Any ideas what Daddy wanted us to do with this?"

She was staring at the shoe. She took it from him and pulled out the inner. Her little hand disappeared into the shoe. Tommy watched the soft cloth move as her fingers explored. She pulled out a key. "Here, we need this," she said.

"What is it?" Barbara asked.

"It looks like a house key, only the end is shaped like Hans Christian Andersen."

"What? Are there any markings? Or an address in the shoe?"

Tommy turned it over in his hand. "No... ah, yes, here is a 7 and a 3. They are intertwined to look a little like a dragon."

"A dragon? So do you think 73 might be a house number? Or 7 might be a unit in a house numbered three... or... are there 73 dragons in Copenhagen?"

"I have no idea, but Aidan must have believed we would work it out."

"Hmmph." Barbara took the key and examined it while Tommy looked inside the shoe.

He even used the torch function on his phone to light up the interior. He put it down with a long sigh. "Nothing in there."

"Now what?"

"I've got no idea," Tommy said as he was trying to think. "Hans Christian Andersen is a local legend. There are three or four statues of him, but none require keys."

Henrietta tugged on his jacket. "Tommy-Daddy."

"Yes?"

"There was a dragon on Babra's map."

"Was there?" He turned to Barbara.

She was already raking through her bag. She pulled out the now heavily creased map and flattened it out on the table. Henrietta pointed to it. "There."

"The Dragon Fountain. Ah, it's on H. C. Anderson Boulevard. Very good Henrietta."

"So, let me guess," Barbara said, "we are going to slay a dragon?"

Tommy nodded. "Unless you can think of anything else?"

"Tommy-Daddy?" She had the key and held it up to him.

He picked up Henrietta. She looked exhausted. Her eyes were drooping and she was a dead weight in his arms. "Maybe we need to take you home for some sleep, young lady."

The girl shook her head. "No, we can't. Master..."

"You are safe. I won't let him get to you."

"He has a tattoo. On his back. It's the same 7 and 3."


	14. Chapter 14

The Dragon Statue seemed overwhelmed by its location in a busy square in front of Copenhagen's Town Hall. Tall green hoardings covered with opportunistic advertisements barricaded half the square into a construction area for a new metro station. Tourists and locals were rushing past in all directions across the remaining open space. Barbara and Tommy each held one of Henrietta's hands as the trio stood to look at the statue.

"What now?" Barbara asked.

Tommy glanced around. The square was surrounded by shops, restaurants and hotels. Nothing seemed obvious. "I have no idea. Maybe room 73 in one of the hotels?"

Barbara shook her head. "Too many possibilities. It has to be something that has only one option. Your friend hid things well, but so far everything has been specific. It has to have something to do with the statue."

Tommy squatted down. "Would you like to ride on my shoulders?" he asked his daughter.

Henrietta nodded. She had been silent since declaring that Master had the same tattoo. Tommy was acutely aware that he risked damaging her psychologically if this went wrong, but he had no choice. They had to follow Aidan's clues, he needed her knowledge of how Aidan thought, and more importantly, he could not risk leaving her with strangers. Tommy hoisted her above his head and settled her legs around his neck.

"And no steering with my ears," he warned jokingly.

To his relief, Henrietta giggled. "Okay, Tommy-Daddy."

He clamped his right hand over her knee for added security then searched for Barbara's hand with his left. She obliged by seizing it firmly.

"Let's check it out," Barbara said.

Green verdigris streaked the bronze dragon fighting with a bull. The twisting dragon, about the same size as the large bovine, had swallowed the bull's head. It was clearly dominating the fight. Around the base, three small dragons sprayed water up over the main sculpture.

The small group circled the fountain three times, each circuit closer and slower. There were no symbols, carvings, initials, or even graffiti that made sense of 7 and 3. "Can anyone spot anything?" Tommy asked.

Barbara shook her head. "No. At what point do we concede...?"

Tommy's arm jerked as Barbara stopped dead. "What?"

She let go of his hand. "Stand here and tell me what you see."

He was not in the mood for games, but he obliged. "The statue and behind it is a glass building covered in neon signs. Oh..."

"So you see it too? It can't be a coincidence."

Tommy systematically scanned the scene. From this angle, the statue obscured most of the signs. The one that was left was a large blue sign for the Danske National Absalon with the first letter of each word surrounded by red. "DNA..."

"Yes, any idea what it means? It must be a company of some sort."

"That looks like a carpark, so it's not in there." He saw Barbara rummaging in her bag. "What?"

"I picked up one of those guides at the airport. It might have something... ah, here it is."

"Can you find it?"

She looked up and along her nose at him. "I need more than two seconds."

He smiled sheepishly then nodded. "Sorry."

"I can find the National Museum, and a statue to Bishop Absalon, who apparently founded Copenhagen, but nothing else."

Henrietta bent down. "There's a building over there with the same sign."

"Where?" Tommy twisted in the direction that her little hand was pointing. Above a convenience store was a series of small signs. She was right. DNA was one of them. "Well spotted, Henrietta. Come on."

They crossed the boulevard and walked casually towards the building. Tommy continued to walk past it.

"Tommy-Daddy, you missed it."

"I'm trying to see if anyone is following us. We will walk up here then double back."

After ten minutes, Tommy was satisfied that if someone was following them they were professionals who would not be easily spotted. "Barbara you go in and have a look around. Henrietta and I will stay here and have an ice cream. Don't take any risks and don't make contact. Just come back and tell me what you find."

"Okay. Give me ten minutes. If I'm not back, assume the worst."

Henrietta fidgeted anxiously. Tommy pulled her off his shoulders and into his arms. "Babra will be fine. She is not going to do anything silly."

Barbara stroked the girl's hair. "We're almost there. You are very brave, Henrietta."

The girl wrapped her arms around Tommy's neck. "I want to go home."

"I know," he said, "we all do."

Barbara was back within three minutes. "There is a small office on the fourth floor. It's closed."

"Does the lock look as if the key will fit?"

"Yeah. Do you want me to go in?"

"No. Take Henrietta. I'll go."

"We should stay together."

"No, stay here. Give me twenty minutes. Ring my phone if you spot anyone and if there's the slightest hint of danger, leave and go back to Tivoli Gardens. They are just down the road and you will be safer in a crowd. Wait for me near that big swing."

Barbara gave him a quick kiss. "I'll kill you myself if you come to any harm," she hissed in his ear.

"I won't." He kissed her again.

* * *

The door clicked and whirred then opened smoothly. Tommy stepped inside the empty office. There was a small foyer with two black leather tub chairs facing a frosted slumped-glass reception desk. The thin layer of dust on everything told him the rooms had not been used in weeks, if not months. The logo hung on the beige wall behind the reception area. Beside it was a door. Tommy checked for cameras, wires or any booby-traps before slowly opening the door. Whatever lay beyond was hidden by almost total darkness. He reached for the door frame on the left and felt around for the light switch. The light hummed before assaulting his eyes with what seemed like a million lux. Tommy stepped inside the room and closed the door. His eyes adjusted quickly to the light. The room was a simple laboratory with a long bench running along the far wall. Opposite there were filing cabinets and in the corner, there was a bank of stainless steel commercial refrigerators. Tommy's attention was drawn to a machine in the middle of the room. It was filled with small cylinders like the one he had in his pocket.

Tommy walked over to it. There was an envelope attached to the front that read "Tommy." He ripped it open.

 _Dear Tommy,_

 _We have sequenced all the DNA from the Gifted Ones. Your cylinder has the three main variations, one for mathematical genius, one for creativity, and one for humanities. The cylinders in front of you have the sequences from all the Masters around the world. I have all the data summarised onto a gel-drive encased in the green block in front of you. If you take it to the Biolab around the corner from where we used to drink, they can show you how to access it. It has everything you need to stop them._

 _If you feel this lab is in danger of discovery, use the red button on the black remote to destroy it. It works off a satellite, so you can activate it anywhere in the world._ _There is also a copy of everything here in a secret vault. My two scientists are guarding it. Henrietta will know where it is. Ask her where Mr Smith lives._

 _I brought you here because you need to flush them out. Target Master Westergaard. He is the key to all of this as his family started it._

 _Good luck, Tommy, and **protect our daughter.**_

 _Aidan_

Tommy screwed up the note. He walked across to the fume cupboard and threw it into the stainless steel sink. He found a packet of matches and set it alight. He was angry that Aidan had centred so much around Henrietta and in doing so was putting her, and Barbara, into danger. He slipped the green block and the cylinder into his pocket. This had to end.

* * *

Barbara sat at a cafe table outside the building and ordered a coffee and cake from the menu. Henrietta only picked at her chocolate cake. "Not hungry?"

The girl swung her legs back and forth hitting her chair with her feet. "Sorry."

"Don't be. I'm tired too. Hopefully, Tommy-Daddy won't be too long."

"Babra?"

"Yes?"

"Are you... scared?"

Barbara nodded. "A bit. But Tommy-Daddy and I have done this sort of thing lots of times. We will all be fine." She tried to sound confident and convincing.

"You're not a very good actor."

"I'm not acting."

They stared at each other. Barbara envisaged years of a headstrong child. The thought of Henrietta as a teenager was truly frightening. Then the girl's eyes changed completely. "Can I ask you something?"

She smiled at Henrietta. "Of course you can."

"I'm too big now to use baby words. My Mummy... will always be Mummy, but she's not coming back." Henrietta paused then took a deep breath. "Will you be my Mum?" she asked almost to quickly to hear. The girl looked up, anxiously waiting for a reply. "You do want to be my Mum, don't you?"

Barbara swallowed a lump that had suddenly grown in her throat. Henrietta looked small on her chair. Her usual air of certainty had disappeared. "More than anything," Barbara said as she pulled the girl onto her lap and cuddled her. It had been a brave thing for her to ask.

The girl relaxed against her. "You have to marry him now."

Barbara felt her neck going red. "You can tell him that when he gets back."

"He wants to. I can tell."

"Can you? I hope so because I want that too. Just the three of us."

"Nuh-uh."

"Oh, yes, and your cat." Barbara tried not to show that she disliked the animal.

Henrietta giggled. It sounded slightly devious. "I want a little brother too, please."

"Do you? Well, I am not sure about that."

"Pleaseeee, Mum. Just one. I guess a sister would be okay if you have to."

Barbara found it to speak. She was afraid she might cry. This week had been sad, crazy and wonderful. "We'll see."

"I..." Instead of words, the girl began to cry.

Barbara fumbled one-handed in her bag for tissues. "Here, what's wrong? Use these."

"I don't know," Henrietta sobbed, trying hard to regain her composure.

"Tommy-Daddy and I will always love you." She held the child close while she cried her heart out.

* * *

Something touched her head. Barbara jumped and clutched the now calm Henrietta.

"Sorry, it's only me. Let's go. Have you paid for your food?"

"Yes." Barbara stood. "You scared the... devil out of me."

"Hey, what's happened? Why do you both look like you have been crying?"

"Dad?" Henrietta reached out her arms.

Tommy looked quickly at Barbara. She nodded. She would explain later. "Do you want me to carry you?"

"Yes, please."

Tommy pulled her child into his arms and soothed her head. He shot a worried look at Barbara.

"Henrietta is very tired," Barbara said as they started walking to the bus stop in front of the Tivoli. "Find anything?"

"Mmm. I think so." He was frowning, obviously concerned more about his daughter than their situation. "Are you okay, little one?"

Henrietta pulled her head back so she could look at him. "Yes, Dad. Can I call you that? And I told Mum you would marry her."

"Um, Dad... yes, that would be wonderful. And," he looked at Barbara, "if she will put up with me, then I will happily marry her. I thought we sorted that out before?"

"Can we go home?"

"Yes, Henrietta. I'll change our flights to tonight."

Barbara sighed then noticed something in the crowd of people moving towards them. "Ah... I think we have a problem."

Up ahead, three blonde men were walking rapidly towards them. She glanced behind. Another two were rapidly catching them. Tommy put his arm around her and steered them into the entrance of Tivoli Gardens. "We're safer in here."

"They must have been watching us."

"Dad?"

"We'll be fine Henrietta. Nothing will happen to you." He turned to Barbara. "Here, take this." He dropped something into her bag. "Wait by the big roller coaster. Not the wooden one. The big red one. And stay in the open and in a crowd. Try to phone Stuart. Tell him I have the genome key. Now go."

Before she could protest, Tommy had disappeared into the crowd with Henrietta.


	15. Chapter 15

Barbara scurried into the crowd. She skirted around the edge of the lake and past the restaurant where they had eaten earlier. Tivoli Gardens was more crowded now, but there was still too much open space for her liking. She stopped in front of the Danish restaurant and pretended to review the menu displayed on the stand outside. With intricate glass windows in the style of an ornamental glasshouse, Barbara used the reflections to see if any of the blonde men had followed her. She waited five minutes before she was satisfied that they had all followed Tommy. There was no relief in knowing that. He and Henrietta were outnumbered, and as the men were presumably Gifted Ones, she felt inadequate to be able to outfox them. She swore quietly under her breath as she tried to decide what to do.

First, she had to make contact with Stuart. She walked behind the restaurant to the edge of the lake. Just past the entrance to another eatery on the pirate ship, she found a hidden space underneath the drooping foliage of a large willow. She crouched against the trunk so that she could see any approaching feet. She tapped her foot as she waited for Stuart to answer.

"Hello, how are the lovebirds?" he asked.

"We have trouble. Tommy found the genome key. He has given me something, but we were chased by some of the Masters, so he has taken Henrietta. He wanted me to ring you and then meet him."

"Okay, calm down. What did he give you?"

Barbara's hand shook as she felt around in her bag. "Some sort of solid green block about 3 inches square. It feels very cold but it's not overly heavy."

"I have no idea what that is, but it doesn't matter. You have to keep it safe. I'm going to get Hillier to inform the Danish police. Where are you meeting Tommy?"

"By the rollercoaster - the big one, not the historic wooden one. Can we trust them?"

"I'm not sure we have a choice. Make your way over there and find somewhere safe. Ring me as soon as you are in position."

"I will. Just make sure Tommy and Henrietta are safe. Break out the whole bloody Danish armed forces if you have to."

* * *

Tommy walked slowly and calmly in a crowd of families heading towards the main rides. He was on the opposite side of the lake to Barbara and had lost sight of her. Four of the blonde men were following him. One of them had broken away from the group before they entered the park, and Tommy presumed he had gone to report in or fetch extra people. He carried Henrietta in his arms. She faced over his shoulder and gave him regular updates which made it easier than constantly looking around. He also hoped that the men might think he was unaware of their locations.

"Blue Shirt has stopped. He's looking across the lake. I think that's Mum under the tree over there," Henrietta reported.

Tommy fought his urge to turn to look. "Is she safe?"

"I think so, but he is using his phone. I think he's seen her."

Tommy stopped at a stand near the coffee shop and bought two small cones of chocolate fudge ice cream. He walked the few feet to the lake edge and lifted Henrietta onto his shoulders. As they ate, he surveyed the area. Blue Shirt was still looking across the small artificial lake. Tommy spotted Barbara move from under the tree and merge into the crowd. About thirty metres behind her, one of the blondes in a green shirt was following her. Barbara looked across directly at them. Tommy saw her slightly miss her step and knew she had seen them. When they finished their treat, he turned and began walking towards his destination. "Did you see Green Shirt following Babra-Mum?" he asked.

Henrietta wriggled on his shoulders and bent down to talk to him. "Yes. She knows he's there. She saw us too."

"I know. Hopefully, she has been able to call for help. Where are the other two?"

Henrietta sat up and looked around. "Oh look, Dad, it's a big... swing-thingy," she said loudly as she pointed. She bent down. "The ugly one is near that ride. The one in the red T-shirt is talking to Blue Shirt."

"Right, do you want to look at the swing-thingy?" he asked loudly. "I want to keep them in sight," he added quietly.

Henrietta giggled. "Yes, please Dad."

Tommy sensed that his daughter thought of this as a game. He wondered if she knew that it could be deadly. He stood under the large wire net directly underneath the ride. Two cantilevered arms with small aeroplanes at the end spun around above them in swooping loops. Fighting vague nausea, he only hoped that the riders did not share the same issue and vomit on them. That would make his day just about perfect.

"Can we do that?"

"No."

"Why, Dad?"

"Because you aren't tall enough. The sign back there said pilots have to be at least 20 cm taller than you."

"Hmmph," the girl said with genuine annoyance. "We can come back when I grow."

"We will," Tommy promised. "Now let's keep moving."

"Does that one have a height limit?"

Tommy looked up to see a giant tower stretching skyward. Riders were lifted up then freefell back down. "I imagine so."

"Good, I don't want to do that one. They have boats over there. We could hide on the lake for a while."

"That's not a bad idea." Tommy headed for the boats shaped like mini gondolas. He had his ticket stamped and climbed aboard before settling Henrietta on the seat between his legs. "Can you see them?"

"Yes. Should I wave?"

"Let's not provoke them, " her father warned. "Just keep an eye on them."

* * *

Barbara allowed Green Shirt to almost catch her before she slipped into the ladies restroom. He would have to be brave to follow her. She rang Stuart. "Any updates?"

"Yes. The Danes are sending uniformed officers. They will all have dark hair. They are going to shut the rollercoaster, but they want you on it first."

"What? No."

"They think you will be safest up there. Are you in touch with Tommy yet?"

"No. I saw him briefly." She did not mention he was calmly eating an ice cream as if being chased by psychopathic genetically modified madmen happened on a regular basis.

"Meet up with him and get on that rollercoaster. Try to stay close together. Where are you now?"

"In the loo."

"Ah... right well finish up there and get going."

Barbara growled at the phone after Stuart hung up. "Finish what you're doing and get going. Yeah, easy for you to say Mister, you don't have people trying to kill you."

* * *

Tommy was forced to bring their boat back after his allocated ten minutes. He and Henrietta had spied where the men were located and had noted three other possible accomplices. "Now remember," he said as they exited, "it's okay to be scared, but people are coming to help us."

"I'm not scared," she replied looking up at him. "We have to do this or it will never stop."

Tommy nodded. The child's wisdom continued to confound him. "Then let's stop it so we can go home."

They turned towards the big rollercoaster. Ahead were red Asian styles pagodas and temples with bright yellow roofs forming a maze of snack bars, restaurants and covered seating. Hungry visitors were starting to fill the tables. Above them, the rollercoaster looped and twisted. Every minute, a new car of screaming riders whooshed past with a windy rush. Tommy looked up and grimaced. He was not fond of fairground rides. When he had been young he had nearly fallen from a ride near Dartmouth when his mother had failed to lower the safety bar correctly. He had often wondered if it had been deliberate, but looking at Henrietta, he could not imagine a parent would ever want to hurt their child. A surge of guilt ran from his toes to his head. He squeezed Henrietta's hand tightly.

"Dad? Are you okay?"

He softened his grip. "Yes, sorry. When we get back I am going to take you to meet your grandma."

"What's she like?"

Several words ran through Tommy's mind, but the reality was that he did not really know. In the years since her betrayal with Trenarrow, he had never taken the time to get to know her as an adult. "She'll love you," he said, hoping that answer sufficed.

"There's Mum," Henrietta said. The girl pulled from Tommy's hand and raced over. Barbara bent down and Henrietta embraced her.

Tommy's vision softened and he blinked away a tear. They could be a real family if they survived today. He hurried over. "Any word?"

"We get on the rollercoaster and they are going to stop... what?" Barbara was distracted by Henrietta tugging furiously on her hand.

"Dad is scared of the rides," Henrietta announced.

"Well, he'll have to be brave. Shit."

Tommy frowned. "What?"

"Two of the men following you just pulled guns from their pockets, and I can't see the one who followed me."

"He over there, hiding behind the big red pillar," Henrietta said.

Tommy pushed them towards the entrance of the rollercoaster. "We had better get on."

Henrietta stood on Tommy's feet when the ride operator was distracted by Barbara. At a quick glance, she was tall enough to ride. They were ushered into the waiting line. "I don't like taking her if she's too short," Tommy protested to Barbara. "It might be a safety issue."

Henrietta groaned. "Would you rather I was shot?"

"Just because we are being pursued by people trying to kill us, it doesn't mean you can take that tone with your father." Barbara gave Henrietta her sternest look and Tommy smiled at his girls. Life was going to be interesting, at least he hoped it would be.

"Sorry, Dad, but..."

"We're all a little tense. You and Mum are smallest so hang onto to her at all times. Intelligence does not overcome gravity. Understood?"

"Yes, Dad."

They just missed a seat on the next car to come along. Tommy let out a long breath. They would be at the front of the next one. He had hoped to be further back, where the Masters could not risk shooting at them. No one else was on the platform when the car came along. Tommy quickly counted. there were six rows of four seats. He stepped back and put Barbara and Henrietta into the second row of seats. "Leave one at the end," he told Barbara. He slipped in beside Henrietta. That left the front and rear seats free, which he hoped would give them extra protection.

"I can't see very well," Henrietta complained.

"Good, then maybe they can't see you either," Tommy said as he made sure the metal harness fitted snuggly over his daughter. "Now you hang onto these handles, and don't let go. No matter what happens. Don't let go unless Mum or I tell you to."

The girl nodded. "Yes."

* * *

The starting gates opened, and the car started to move off slowly. Barbara liked rollercoasters, but she could do without the added danger of men with handguns chasing them. "I hope Stuart was right. They should stop us when we get to the top."

The car began to climb the steep but relatively short ramp. Not much was visible as the access stairs bewside the ramp hid most of the park from view. Clack-ety-cl-ack, clackety-clack, clack'y-clk... The cogs pulling the car rattled faster and faster as they climbed. Below them, the delighted screams of happy children punctuated the general burbling sounds of the park. The smell of fairy floss and hot, buttery popcorn wafted up. A tree nearby had a lovely lemony fragrance. Barbara glanced over at Tommy. He was sitting stony-faced. Henrietta had been right, he was not enjoying this at all. They were just about to crest the top when Barbara felt a thump.

She and Tommy strained to turn to look behind them. She could just see that someone had leapt into the row of seats behind them. There was a second, more distant thump. "We've got company," Barbara yelled.

Tommy nodded. "Two at least, but they're not strapped... oh hell..."

The car reached the top of the rise. Tommy clearly expected it to fall away in a fast dive. Instead, the track curved to the left and began to twist. Barbara was jolted sharply against the harness. Beside her Henrietta was being thrown from side to side as the car twisted on the track, left then right, then left again. The girl was holding on and looked surprisingly happy. Tommy was trying to see around the outside of the car. He called out something but it was lost in the rush as they accelerated and began to dive. The ground rushed up to meet them. Barbara closed her eyes momentarily. Henrietta whooped and hollered in glee. Barbara inhaled. Then the car rose rapidly and flipped them over in a steep loop. The man in the red T-shirt looked as if he was screaming as he fell past them, but oddly, there was no sound.

Barbara looked at Henrietta. If she had seen the man fall, she did not let on. She seemed thoroughly engrossed in the ride. Barbara inhaled then groaned they were racing into a second loop. This time her seat seemed to angle differently as if it were being dragged.

"Argggghhh!"

Something had grabbed her leg just as they were hanging upside down. She looked up to see a hairy blonde hand gripping her ankle. She shook her leg and kicked out, trying to break free. As they tumbled through the loop she was forced into the top of her harness. Her leg moved towards her hip with brutal force. The hand that was attached softened its grip. Henrietta screamed and pointed to her leg. The hand was attached to an arm that flung up and hit the front of Henrietta's seat before the grip was lost as the car tumbled into the back of the loop and sped towards the ground. Barbara saw the yellow roofs and was sure that the car was going to hit them. Had they derailed? Were they falling? Tommy's hand reached over and grabbed hers. She looked back. She had wanted this to end so differently.

* * *

Barbara's screams pierced Tommy's heart. When he saw Green Shirt decapitated by the car and his arm severed, he had not realised the man had been holding Barbara's leg. When it's bloody end had flicked up on Henrietta's seat and sprayed blood over them, Barbara had begun to scream. He could tell from her face that she had no idea how loud and piercing the sound was. Henrietta looked up at him. "It's okay. We're okay."

"That's two less," his daughter yelled.

The car rolled left and twisted into another tight turn before dipping then flipping to the right then rising. It began to slow as it entered the last turn of the ride. Two men stood on the platform where the cars stopped. The ride attendant was slumped on the ground with a pool of blood leaking from his chest. The men levelled their weapons. Tommy tried to turn in his seat to shield Henrietta. The car would come to a halt and they would be dead. He cursed.


	16. Chapter 16

To Tommy's surprise the car slowed but did not stop. It felt like slow motion as it slid slowly towards the two blonde men levelling their weapons directly at them. There was very little protection from the seat in front and when they reached the men, he and Barbara would be huge targets. He hoped by some miracle, the inevitable gunfire would miss Henrietta.

He took a deep breath. "I love you both," he said.

"Dad!" Henrietta grabbed him and pulled him down on her just as a bullet whizzed past them. A second one thudded into the headrest above him. Fibreglass splinters rained down on them. Another shot from slightly behind and to the right slammed into the seat in front.

The car picked up pace. Tommy rotated his head to see the injured ride operator kick the lever at his foot. The gates swung open and the car began to climb.

"Stay down," he yelled.

This time the car went faster. It raced up the ramp then dipped left and plunged down the track. It sped into the first loop and straight up into the second. Barbara screamed and Tommy realised they were out of control.

"Hold on."

The car picked up more speed as it twisted and turned. They were thrown left, right, up and down. Tommy's shoulder crashed painfully into the metal harness. He felt blood dribble down his arm. The car seemed to lift from the track before thumping down then dipping. They were almost back to the start and the car rose sharply towards the platform. This time the blonde men were facing away from them. Lynley could hear gunshots. The ugly assailant spun towards them but then stopped in mid-air before falling forward. Blood stained his shirt and dripped through the platform onto the screaming crowd below.

"Our help is here," he called to Barbara to buoy her spirits. Her skin was a horrible shade of greeny-grey and she her hair was sticking up at all angles like a wind blown scarecrow.

His attention was drawn back to their predicament. The car turned too sharply. It juddered as the the rear seat left the track and derailed. This slowed them down as they hurtled past the gunmen. Before the men could turn to fire, the rear car separated and skidded across the metal taking down two of the blonde Gifted Ones like skittles. Tommy had no idea how many there were, but that accounted for the ones he knew about.

He saw uniformed officers in black uniforms running through the crowd. Whining sirens echoed around the park as people ran for the exits. Children screamed. Adults tried to stay calm but Tommy could sense the panic. His hair and clothes plastered against his skin as a helicopter hovered above them. Tommy sighed with relief.

It was short-lived. The roller coaster had not stopped. At the top of the ramp, the car shuddered as if fearing what was to come. They tipped over the edge and began another run. This time the car shook violently. His teeth clattered together trapping his cheek. Blood filled his mouth before he swallowed hard. He grabbed Henrietta's hand. He looked across at her. She appeared sombre but not scared. Wedged at an odd angle into the third seat, Barbara had her eyes clamped shut so tightly that the veins stood out on her temples.

* * *

Barbara was sure that they had died and gone to Hell. She had once been told Hell was an eternity spent repeating the worst moment of your life. As they rocketed into the second loop, she was forced against the harness. Her bag was still wedged behind her in the seat and in an odd juxtaposition of sensations, she could feel the cold cube pressing into her spine.

"Willll... thiiiis... evvvver... stopppp?"

A small hand reached out and took hers. Barbara forced her head to turn when the G force released her. Henrietta gave her a smile but with the speed they were still travelling, she looked more like a dog with its head out of the car window on the M1.

As the car came up to the sharp turn at the platform, Barbara saw men in black running in all directions. They did not slow. Their car whizzed straight through the platform and up the slope. The car seemed to corkscrew as it did. At the top, the left turn looked impossible. They were going too fast and were only vaguely connected to the rails. Ahead there was blue sky and a good view of Central Station. The car turned into the now-familiar left curve. It swung back and forth like a pressured hose abandoned in the yard.

Bits of metal and fibreglass tore away from the damaged car. Most fell below them, but some whipped past their bruised bodies. Barbara felt the increasing nausea as they entered the first loop. Up, then over, then down before the car began to rise for the second loop. This time the car seemed to tremble then convulse as if it were in its death throes. It lost speed going up the inside curve of the loop. They hung upside down for what seemed like seconds before it jerked forward.

The trio were all slammed against the harness as the car stopped as if seized by a giant. They were hanging almost upside down. The centre rail was covered in oil and sparks were lighting up the loop as the emergency brakes immobilised the car. They were forced back against their seats.

"Bloody hell!"

"Is everyone okay?" Tommy asked.

"Yeah, marvellous," Barbara replied.

The car lost grip and fell three feet before the brakes re-engaged. Barbara leant against the metal harness but it gave way and swung away from them. Henrietta screamed as she slipped out of the car and started to fall.

* * *

Tommy still had his daughter's hand. When she fell out of the car, she jerked to a stop at the end of his arm. He jammed his feet and knees against the front rail and reached out with his other hand to grab the back of her shirt. "I've got you. I won't let you fall."

To pull her up and back into the car, Tommy had to shift his weight. Henrietta began to scream. "Master! It's Master. It's Master."

Tommy looked down to see the man at the edge of the pit that the loop dipped into. He was pointing a rifle at them. Tommy pulled hard on the girl's arms lifting her. He twisted and sandwiched her between his body and Barbara. His leg dislodged and he slipped. He was doubled over, and his legs dangled in mid-air.

A shot rang out. A bullet ripped into the seat next to Barbara, shattering it. Men were shouting. He could hear heavy footsteps on metal. People were running. Gunfire was exchanged. He saw the blonde man leap down and disappear into the crowd.

He was holding on to his daughter and had one arm wrapped through the harness that was oscillating back and forth in the breeze. "Have you got her?" he shouted at Barbara, "I don't know how long I can hold her."

Barbara's hand closed around his arm like a vice, She wedged her leg between his and curled her foot around his knee. "You go, we all go."

He grunted. He had no energy for anything more. A bullet ricocheted off the rail above them.

"Do these bloody blonde geniuses ever give up?" Barbara asked.

"It seems not."

Tommy could see black figures climbing the skeleton of the ride towards them. "The cavalry are coming," he told his girls. "Hang on, we are almost there."

"Detective Inspector Lynley?" one of the men shouted.

"No, bloody Santa Claus," Barbara muttered through clenched teeth. Tommy could hear the strain in her voice. He was not sure how much longer she could hold on.

"Yes," he called.

"We are just rigging some ropes. We will be with you in a moment."

"Good. We can't wait two moments."

"Understood."

He took a deep breath. His arm felt like it was about to dislocate at the left shoulder, and his calves were shaking like a soft jelly in an earthquake. His back popped ominously and his chest was squealing for room to breath. He tried to calm his mind by imagining a soft bed where the three of them could curl up and sleep.

His reverie was disrupted by an burst of semi-automatic rifle-fire. He swung his head in all directions looking for the gunman. Master was on top of the loop. His barrel was trained down on them. Tommy released he was taking careful aim. He was targeting Henrietta.

With a surge of adrenaline, Tommy pushed his body up until it completely covered his daughter. He felt the bullets hit him. Pain like he had never known reverberated around his body. His lungs burned as he breathed. He could not feel his feet or his hands.

"Tommy! No!"

"Dad! Dad!"

"I love you. Both... of you."

The world went black.

* * *

Yes, sorry, I know, another horrible cliffhanger, but I had to stop it here...


	17. Chapter 17

**Author's note:** sorry about the last cliffhangers... well, maybe I'm not. Here is the conclusion. I hope you have enjoyed this story.

* * *

 **TWENTY YEARS LATER**

Henrietta looked around her room. Home for the last six years, she would soon leave Exeter College and her beloved Oxford. She sat at the dressing table and stared at her reflection. Her short hair was still as hard to tame as ever. She pushed a thick lock back from where it had fallen over her left eye. She looked at the photos tucked into the upper corners of her mirror. Her Mummy and Daddy smiled back from one. Her Dad smiled back from the other, and her Mum was in a separate photo but not smiling, but she rarely smiled in photos when she was alone.

She touched her fingers to her lips then to the photos. "Thank you." Her parents had been willing to sacrifice their lives to keep her safe. She hoped she was repaying them.

There was a knock on her door. "Coming."

She walked over and opened it. "Mum! Come in. You're early."

Barbara frowned. "Too early? You've been crying. Why? Today is the day you've waited for."

Henrietta knuckled away fresh tears then hugged her mother. "I know, but today... I miss them."

She felt her mother's strength as she hugged her back. "They would be very proud. Our little genius graduating from Oxford with her doctorate. You have already done so much to extend our knowledge of DNA and even tailored medical cures. You have used the legacy of your parents well. They would be proud."

"I couldn't have done it if you hadn't saved that cube. And we had access to the database of the Masters. And Unc Stuart..."

Barbara held her by the shoulders. "This is your work. Don't diminish it. You've worked hard. Ever since Copenhagen. As a child and teenager, you were obsessed with it. All that sequencing and coding. You turned something selective and evil into something to benefit everyone. I'm proud, Aidan and Inga would have been proud, and your Dad..."

* * *

"Is the proudest man on Earth."

"Dad!" Henrietta ran to the open door and hugged her father. "I was just about to ask Mum where you were."

"Parking the Land Rover. Your mother still can't reverse park it properly. And with this," Tommy tapped his cane on the floor, "it takes me longer to walk up the stairs."

"We were just talking about Copenhagen. I was thinking earlier about everyone's sacrifice for me. I..."

Tommy led his daughter to the narrow bed in the room. With gentle pressure on her shoulder, he encouraged her to sit. He reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope. "This is the second last one. Your parents thought of almost every occasion."

"What's the last one for?" she asked as he gave her the envelope.

"When you get married."

She screwed up her nose. At twenty-five, she was the same unusual mix of five-year-old and fifty-year-old that she had always been. "I think David and I might just live in sin for a while."

Tommy sensed her throwaway line was a test. He liked her boyfriend. He was also a research scientist and was very protective of Henrietta. They had been together for seven years, so Tommy imagined there had been a fair bit of sin already despite his daughter always insisting that David have a separate room when he stayed in London or Howenstowe. Barbara had told him that David was the cleanest sleeper she had ever seen. His sheets were barely wrinkled as if he rolled in them once for appearances. "About time, but don't deprive this old man of his moment walking you down the aisle. I only have one daughter." He kissed her head. "Now read your letter. Has Matthew rung you? He should be here by now."

Henrietta's youngest brother was always running late. In his final year at Eton, much to their mother's annoyance, Matthew was growing up fast and wanted to become a barrister. Like him both in looks and mannerisms, but not in punctuality, he was turning into a young man Tommy was proud to call son. Their eldest Tom, by contrast, looked more like Barbara with his unruly reddish blonde hair and down to earth manner. As the future earl, he took life too casually and had refused to go to Eton, even for his final two years. He had only followed his father to Oxford because he was smitten with a young girl who had subsequently run off with a drummer from a heavy metal band. Now he was in his final year and had no idea what he wanted to do with his life.

"Tom is meeting us at the Sheldonian," Henrietta said. "He is bringing Sarah, his new girlfriend. She seems nice, but he's nervous about introducing her."

Barbara tutted. "How did we manage to raise our children to be scared to bring their lovers home?"

Tommy stood and kissed his wife. "Maybe you frighten them off by calling them lovers."

"You two are a hard act to follow," Henrietta chimed in. "I don't know if I can ever love David as much as you love each other. I think Tom feels the same way, and Matthew will just play the field."

Tommy and Barbara exchanged a sly smile. Barbara was always accusing Matthew of being too like his father. Tommy put his arm around Henrietta and pulled her into the hug. "Matthew is only seventeen. I think he needs a little more experience before he finds his soulmate."

On cue, Tommy's phone rang. "Matthew?"

"Hi, Dad. I'm at the station. Which way do I walk, or can you pick me up?"

Tommy shook his head. "Walk straight up George Street. It should take you about 15 minutes. The ceremony starts at 3 o'clock. Be out front by two forty-five. That gives you half an hour."

He laughed to hear his son sigh. "Thought you'd say that."

* * *

They shuffled into the Sheldonian and were ushered up the stairs. Now in his early sixties, Tommy found his leg was increasingly restrictive. He relied on his cane more and more. Barbara seemed to sense his pain and took his hand. He squeezed it softly to acknowledge her. She was his rock. He eased himself onto the hard wooden bench. They had seats in the middle tier of the Round with a perfect view over the graduands seated on folding chairs on the theatre's floor. Barbara saw Henrietta and waved.

"Are you okay, Dad?" Matthew asked as Tommy shifted his weight to find a more comfortable position.

"Fine. The leg's just a bit stiff today."

Tommy regretted that he had never been able to run around with his sons. They had never kicked footballs or played tennis. He had been able to teach them to swim and to sail, but he felt he had failed them in other ways. He looked at both of them now and wondered if they resented it. Tom was oblivious. He seemed relieved that they had welcomed Sarah so warmly and was now huddled with her talking quietly. She was an agricultural scientist, and Tom had announced that they wanted to run Howenstowe and start introducing organic farming. The estate was in safe hands.

Matthew was next to him and looking at him the same way Barbara sometimes did. Tommy frowned. The boy had something on his mind. "Are _you_ okay? Is everything alright at school?"

His son leant across close to his father. "I love you, Dad. We all do," he said in a volume barely above a whisper.

Tommy smiled and patted his son's leg. It was unusual for his teenage son to be so open. "I love you all too."

"Henrietta and Tom came down last weekend. That's why I didn't come home on Sunday. She... told us about Copenhagen. How you and Mum saved her from falling. How you were shot twice in the leg and nearly lost it. About the months you spent in the hospital. How Mum nursed you even when she was about to give birth to Tom. Henrietta said she kept you company all that night because you were so worried about Mum. We... had no idea. No wonder you and Hen are almost as inseparable as you and Mum."

"I'd do the same for you or Tom if the situation arose. I couldn't be at Tom's birth, but I was at yours." Tommy dabbed his eye. "That was the most special moment of my life."

His son smiled at him but his face started to colour. Tommy knew the moment of closeness had passed. "Look, the trumpeters are standing up," his son said.

* * *

Henrietta scanned the seats and quickly found her family. She had read the note from Mummy and Daddy three times. It seemed like a lifetime ago, and while she appreciated that Tommy and Barbara had kept their memory alive, she wondered if they realised that she considered them her true parents. They had been there when she had been plagued by nightmares. They had understood her abilities and encouraged her when other children had thought she was a freak. They had ensured she had been happy, and supported and felt loved. She waved to them and saw her mum nudge her father as if to tell him that it did not matter how stuffy Oxford thought it was, she was going to acknowledge her daughter.

She wondered whether she should tell her father that she had divulged his secrets to her brothers. They had always known he had been hurt saving her, but they had never been told the truth. They had not known how he had shielded her, how after he had passed out Mum and she had held his belt and his arms to stop him falling. Henrietta could remember the screaming. She had never known if it was her mother or her. When the Danish Jaeger Corps soldiers reached them and tried to take Tommy, they had refused to let go. In the end, they had all been winched down together amid what she now knew were Danish curses.

Her mother had kept the cube safe, and with the evidence from the database, the Masters of the Diamond Lance had been exposed. Most of them were tried in their own countries. Some fled and were captured. Others took their lives or were killed. More illicit children were uncovered as the whole scheme unravelled. All through it, Tommy had kept Henrietta safe from prying journalists or doctors who wanted to experiment on her.

"Henrietta Hibernicus Lynley," the compere announced, "awarded the Doctor of Philosophy for her thesis on the Application of DNA for..." The rest was lost in the cheers of her personal fan club. As she passed beneath the Round to received her doctorate she looked up and caught her father's eye. He seemed to peer directly into her soul. He knew she had told them, and he approved. She also saw a glimpse of her future using DNA not only to grow new organs but also to grow new limbs. Within three steps, she knew exactly how to do it. She smiled at her Dad and wondered, "how did I not see it before?"


End file.
